Mercedes Starts Production Of Battery Packs (108 kWh) For The New EQS

The world premiere of the EQS is scheduled for April 15, 2021.

Mercedes-Benz has officially started production of battery systems for the upcoming all-electric EQS, at its Stuttgart-Hedelfingen plant, as part of the Untertürkheim location in Germany.

The world premiere of this new luxury sedan is scheduled for April 15, but the German manufacturer already revealed some very interesting numbers about the battery and range.

The EQS is based on the new EVA platform and can be equipped with a battery pack that consists of up to 12 modules (roughly 9 kWh each) for a total capacity of up to 108 kWh. Smaller battery configurations will be available too.

Thanks to the efficient powertrain and “best-in-class aerodynamics”, Mercedes-Benz expects WLTP range of more than 700 km (435 miles), which would mean energy consumption of less than 154 Wh/km (248 Wh/mile). The lithium-ion cells themselves are NCM 811 type.

Mercedes-Benz has integrated battery system production alongside existing transmission production at the Hedelfingen plant. Packs from here will be used in both the EQS and EQE.

“The plant has a production and logistics area of about 16,500 m², relying on state-of-the-art systems including a wide range of Industry 4.0 technologies. The highly complex lithium-ion battery system is produced on an approximately 300 meter production line with more than 70 production stations and with a high number of automated as well as manual steps. A variety of components including up to 12 cell modules and the so-called EE-compartment for the intelligent integration of power electronics make up the EQS battery system.

The EE-compartment is assembled by the Mercedes-Benz Berlin site.”

The manufacturer envisioned the use of over the air (OTA) software updates, to ensure that “the energy management of the EQS will remain up-to-date over the entire lifetime of the vehicle.”

The EQS itself will be produced at Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, Germany starting in the first half of this year.

Gallery: Production Of Mercedes-Benz EQS Battery Systems

Extension of in-house EV expertise focusing battery cells

The Mercedes-Benz Drive Systems Campus at the Untertürkheim site (Germany) is already engaged in research and development activities in the field of e-mobility.

The site can build prototypes for the electric drive system and research/test battery cell technologies.

The next step to be a small-series battery cell production facility, for the next-generation lithium-ion cells (but the series production of the cells will remain external).

“In order to deepen its competence as a center for battery technology, a new factory for the small-series production of future lithium-ion battery cells is being planned, starting its operations in 2023. The sustainability factor, transparent cell development through to recyclability, plays a major role in this. The focus on in-house know-how and high vertical integration is key for a leading role in electric vehicles. Mercedes-Benz plans to invest a three-digit million amount in the transformation of the site. “

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