Mercedes is gearing up for a 40-car initiative to redefine its future | Carscoops

      A significant factory revamp paves the way for more than 40 new electric models by 2027.

      

      12 hours ago

      

      by Brad Anderson

      

      Mercedes has poured over €2 billion into its European assembly facilities.

      Key upcoming models include the electric C-Class and various AMG EVs.

      The company aims to reduce its production expenses by 10 percent from 2024 to 2027.

      The introduction of the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC featuring EQ Technology not only represents a crucial model release but also marks what Mercedes refers to as its largest product initiative ever.

      In the next three years, the automaker intends to debut over 40 new models while working on substantial production cost reductions. Simultaneously, it is controversially moving away from a sole luxury emphasis to pursue higher-volume, more affordable vehicles to enhance its financial stability.

      To equip itself for the wave of new models, Mercedes has invested more than €2 billion ($2.3 billion) into its European assembly plants. Following the ramp-up of production for the new electric CLA at its Rastatt facility in Germany, production of the GLC EQ will commence in Bremen, alongside the all-electric C-Class EQ in Kecskemét.

      Expanding the Lineup

      Concurrently, the Sindelfingen plant will begin rolling out new electric models from Mercedes-AMG, including the production version of the recently showcased Concept AMG GT XX.

      At the GLC's launch event, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius highlighted that “with the new electric GLC, the largest product launch in our history continues to gain momentum.”

      Among the lesser-known additions is the upcoming VLE, an all-electric luxury MPV developed on the company's new Van Electric Architecture, designed to accommodate up to eight passengers, underscoring Mercedes' commitment to covering a wide array of segments. The range will also include an electric "baby" G-Class SUV, a refreshed S-Class, next-gen versions of the GLA and GLB, and more.

      Digitalization and AI

      As Mercedes increases production of multiple new models in Europe, it plans to incorporate its MO360 and MO360 Data Platform production ecosystems into the plants, creating ‘digital twins’ of the facilities where future enhancements can be tested and validated before application.

      Mercedes-Benz has also stated its objective to reduce production costs by 10 percent between 2024 and 2027. This will be achieved through a combination of digitalization, artificial intelligence, increased renewable energy use, and improved efficiency in production and logistics.