German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz Cars, which announced its strategy for electromobility last year, has reiterated its commitment for having more than 50 electrified vehicle variants including 10 fully electric cars in all segments by 2022.

The company is also setting up electric hubs for production of electric vehicles and batteries in China, Germany and the USA. It says over the next few years, Mercedes-Benz Cars will invest around 10 billion euro (Rs 76,440 crore) for expanding its electric fleet and an additional one billion euro (Rs 7,644 crore) for a global battery production network within the worldwide production network.

It says this way its global battery network will be created, which currently comprises of five battery factories in three continents. The carmaker says, while the start of production of the fortwo Coupe and Cabriolet at the smart plant in Hambach in 2017 already represented the start of its fourth generation of EVs, the first electric vehicle of the new product and technology brand ‘EQ’ will roll off the production line at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen. And the production of the EQC, an all-electric SUV, will begin in 2019.

Shortly afterwards, the EQC will also roll off the production line at BBAC, the joint venture between Daimler and BAIC. Furthermore it will also produce EQ models at the Mercedes-Benz plants in Rastatt, Sindelfingen and Tuscaloosa (USA), where the model range is extended to include electric vehicles of the compact, upper and luxury class as well as the SUV segment.

Markus Schafer, member of the divisional board, Mercedes-Benz Cars – production and supply chain, said: “Our electric vehicles will be built in six plants on three continents. We address every market segment: from the smart for two-seater, to the large SUV. The battery is the key component of e-mobility. As batteries are the heart of our electric vehicles we put a great emphasis on building them in our own factories. With our global battery network we are in an excellent position: As we are close to our vehicle plants we can ensure the optimal supply of production. In case of a short-term high demand in another part of the world our battery factories are also well prepared for export. The electric initiative of Mercedes-Benz Cars is right on track. Our global production network is ready for e-mobility.”

Daimler states that this year it will complete the second battery factory in Kamenz and intensify preparations for the EQC at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen. And in 2019, the EQC will be the first series vehicle of the product and technology brand EQ to roll-off the production line at Bremen and at BBAC in Beijing.