Daimler has concluded contracts worth billions for the purchase of battery cells for its electric vehicle offensive. According to the carmaker, orders for cells worth more than 20 billion euros will be awarded by 2030.
Daimler's EQ electric fleet
Daimler
Daimler is taking the next step towards securing its "Case" corporate strategy. After investing billions of euros developing its electric fleet and expanding its global battery network, Daimler is now buying battery cells for several billion euros. "With the purchase of battery cells for more than 20 billion euros, we are systematically pushing forward with the transformation into the electric future of our company. We plan a total of 130 electrified variants at Mercedes-Benz Cars by 2022. In addition, we will have electric vans, buses and trucks," explains Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
The company is investing ten billion euros in expanding Mercedes-Benz Cars' electric fleet and another billion euros in the global battery production network within the worldwide production network. The company is purchasing the cells on the world market. The reported reason is to secure the best possible technology and to allow the company to focus on its core competence of battery assembly.
"With extensive orders for battery cells until the year 2030, we set another important milestone for the electrification of our future electric vehicles of the EQ product and technology brand. In this way, together with our partners, we ensure the supply of our global battery production network today and in the future using the latest technologies," says Wilko Stark, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars, Procurement and Supplier Quality since October 2018. The suppliers are already producing battery cells in Asia and Europe and are continuing to expand in Europe and also the USA.