Mercedes-Benz announces new battery factory in Poland – but no battery cells

Mercedes-Benz, through its parent company Daimler, announced today that it will build a new “battery factory” in Poland, but it will not build any battery cells – only battery packs.

Last year, Mercedes-Benz said that it was investing billions in a plan to convert 6 factories to electric vehicle production which will create a ‘global battery network’.

Now the German automaker says that it is “extending the global battery production network of up to nine factories” with the announcement of a new battery pack factory in Jawor, Poland. The facility will be about 100 km from the German border and where the automaker is already building an engine factory.

Markus Schäfer, Member of the Divisional Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain, made the announcement:

“We will electrify the complete portfolio until 2022 and will be able to offer in each segment various electrified alternatives to our customers. This includes more than ten pure electric vehicles. We will produce batteries on our own, what we consider a significant success factor in the era of electric mobility. After the production of high-tech engines, we will establish additional future technology in Poland. The battery factory in Jawor is the second largest investment at this new Mercedes-Benz site,”

They say that the new factory will create 300 jobs and it will produce battery packs for Mercedes-Benz’s new electric EQ vehicles.

Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, commented on the announcement of the new plant:

“The decision of Mercedes-Benz Cars to start the production of electric batteries for a new type of vehicles in Jawor shows that companies that have started operations in our country positively assess the investment climate and want to continue to grow here. We are witnessing the 4.0 industrial revolution in which Poland plays a leading role. All the more we are glad that in Jawor will be produced not only traditional engines, but also the hearts of cars of the future, namely electric batteries”

At the new “battery factory”, the company reiterated that it only plans to build battery packs and to purchase the battery cells from suppliers:

“The intelligence of the battery is integrated in a highly complex overall system. Daimler is therefore concentrating on the key competence of the battery assembly. Cells are an essential component of the battery. Daimler is buying the cells on the world market and is instructing the suppliers to produce based on special specifications. In this way, the company is securing itself the best possible technology. With the purchase of battery cells for more than 20 billion euros, the company is establishing the preconditions for the consistent change towards an electrical future. The cells will be used in the electric fleet of the electric smart, SUV, vans, buses and trucks (light and heavy duty version) as well as vehicles of the next generation of the product and technology brand EQ.”

Last year, Daimler announced that it is buying over $20 billion in battery cells to support its electric vehicle plans.

Several battery cell manufacturers have also announced plans to produce batteries in Poland, which could supply Mercedes-Benz’s new plant.

The German automaker didn’t detail the production capacity of the new factory.