Mês: Março 2021

Daimler accelerates electric push

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  • Electric mobility: broadest product portfolio in the automotive industry ranging from city cars to heavy-duty trucks
  • Ambition2039: transformation toward CO2 neutrality to be accelerated
  • Project Focus: spin-off and listing of Daimler Truck in preparation
  • Pandemic stress test: financial year 2020 with better-than-expected results
  • Taking the helm: Bernd Pischetsrieder succeeds Manfred Bischoff as Chairman of the Supervisory Board
  • First quarter 2021: positive trend from 2020 continues

in Daimler AG, 31-03-2021

Daimler AG (ticker symbol DAI) is pressing ahead with its structural realignment and the acceleration of a shift to electric mobility. “The year 2020 was the most challenging for Daimler during my term as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. We passed the pandemic stress test with flying colors, defined the necessary cost-cutting measures, and initiated their consistent implementation to make the company more crisis-proof. We also refocused our strategy on sustainability and climate protection. Our sustainable business strategy must strike a responsible balance between environmental, social and financial goals,” said Manfred Bischoff, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG, on Wednesday at the company’s virtual regular Annual Meeting. Bischoff has been Chairman of the Supervisory Board since 2007 and is stepping down after the Annual Meeting.

This year Mercedes-Benz Cars is significantly expanding its offering of fully electric vehicles: The compact electric model EQA will be followed shortly by the EQS and the EQB as well as the EQE later this year. Also, Mercedes-Benz Vans will enrich the portfolio with electric vehicles: before the end of the year concepts for an electrified Citan and the T-Class will be presented. Daimler Trucks & Buses is also focusing on CO2-neutral passenger and goods transportation: Series production of the eActros, which has a range of well over 200 kilometers and is suitable for urban heavy goods and distribution transport, will start in fall this year. For longer distances with a range of about 500 kilometers, the eActros LongHaul is being developed for market launch as of 2024. In addition, fuel-cell trucks are scheduled to go into series production in the second half of the decade. With the buses, the eCitaro and the articulated eCitaro are two vehicles already available for CO2-neutral urban transport.

“Today, Daimler has the broadest electric range in the automotive industry – from city cars to heavy-duty trucks. But that’s not enough for us. We want to accelerate the electrification of our product portfolio. Almost two years ago, we presented our Ambition2039. We want a CO2-neutral fleet of new cars. It’s our goal to reach this target sooner,” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and of Mercedes-Benz AG.

A prerequisite for the breakthrough of electric mobility is an efficient public charging infrastructure which expands to keep pace with the electric ramp-up of manufacturers. To meet the European Commission’s CO2 targets, Europe needs three million public charging points by the end of the decade. “Today, we don’t even have a tenth of this. We need to speed this up. Daimler, as part of the auto industry, will play its part. For example, we will further expand the Ionity charging network. I am convinced: When industry and politics work hand in hand, we move forward together. We should not focus our efforts only on banning the status quo. We should make possible the new, this is key,” said Källenius.

Project Focus offers potential

In order to utilize the full potential of the two industrial divisions during the industrial transformation and to create sustainable value, the Board of Management and Supervisory Board decided in February 2021 to initiate a fundamental change to the Group’s structure: Daimler intends to spin off Daimler Truck and list it on the stock exchange. It is planned to transfer a significant majority stake in Daimler Truck to the Daimler shareholders. “With a clear focus on commercial vehicles on one side, premium cars and vans on the other, we are creating the preconditions for more financially successful companies and thus also offer enhanced long-term job security. It is a matter of fact that the transformation of the automotive industry more than ever requires speed and an undivided focus on innovation,” said Bischoff. The transaction and the listing of Daimler Truck on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange are expected to be completed by the end of 2021. It is also intended to rename Daimler as Mercedes-Benz in due course. The planned spin-off will be under voting at an Extraordinary Shareholder’s Meeting which is planned to take place in fall of 2021.

Path to profitable growth

“We want to shape the future. We are on the right track financially. Now we are keeping up the pace in order to achieve our profitability targets on a sustainable basis. Under strong market conditions, we strive for a double-digit margin at Mercedes-Benz Cars,” said Källenius. Daimler’s Board of Management was aware of its great responsibility towards employees, also with the targeted restructuring of sites. “In the long run, it benefits no one to work in a plant with a great tradition. It’s more important to work in plants with a great future. We do not wait for change – we are the ones who are changing. We will continue growing profitably and at the same time help make this world climate neutral with the aid of exceptional engineering and with a deep sense of conviction.”

2020 financial year better than expected

For the challenging 2020 financial year, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board propose distributing a dividend of €1.35 per share (2019: €0.90), in line with the company’s long-term dividend policy. As a result of strict cost discipline and extensive measures to preserve liquidity, as well as a strong performance in the divisions, EBIT increased by 53% to €6.6 billion. Adjusted EBIT reflects the ongoing business and amounted to €8.6 billion (2019: €10.3 billion). Net profit increased to €4.0 billion from €2.7 billion. Net profit attributable to the shareholders of Daimler AG amounted to €3.6 billion (2019: €2.4 billion). The Group’s unit sales fell by 15% to 2.84 million cars and commercial vehicles. Revenue decreased by 11% to €154.3 billion. The free cash flow of the industrial business amounted to €8.3 billion (2019: €1.4 billion). The adjusted free cash flow of the industrial business was €9.2 billion (2019: €2.7 billion). The net liquidity of the industrial business improved to €17.9 billion (end of 2019: €11.0 billion).

Outlook first quarter 2021

After a good start with a tailwind from last year, Daimler is confident about the current financial year. Based on the anticipated market development and the current assessments of the divisions, unit sales, revenue and EBIT in 2021 are still expected to be significantly above prior-year levels.

In the first quarter of 2021 the positive trend seen in previous quarters continues. Despite temporary bottlenecks for semiconductors, unit sales and revenues at Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans should be higher than in the prior year’s quarter, thanks to the Chinese market and a strong product mix. Due to strong pricing and continued stringent cost control, Mercedes-Benz is confident about profitability in the first quarter. Incoming orders at Daimler Trucks are very promising, especially in Europe and the US. Unit sales in the first quarter are expected to remain at year-earlier levels, despite the impact from the pandemic on the Indonesian market and on the bus chassis business. Thanks to stringent cost management, strong product mix and disciplined pricing, profitability is seen higher than in the first quarter last year. Furthermore, semiconductor bottlenecks are affecting the supply chain of Daimler Trucks & Buses. The division monitors the situation closely and is in constant contact with the suppliers.

Changes in the Supervisory Board

Petraea Heynicke, Jürgen Hambrecht and Manfred Bischoff are stepping down from the Supervisory Board at the end of the Annual Meeting. Elizabeth Centoni, Chief Strategy Officer and General Manager of Applications at Cisco Systems, Inc., Ben van Beurden, CEO of Royal Dutch Shell plc, and Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE, are proposed for election at the Annual Meeting. Bischoff’s departure after 14 years as Chairman of the Supervisory Board marks the end of an era. “It is fair to say that Manfred Bischoff has left his mark on a piece of German industrial history. This company is extremely well positioned for the future, and that is largely thanks to him,” said Källenius. In December 2020, the Supervisory Board proposed as Bischoff’s successor Bernd Pischetsrieder, who will stand for election as Supervisory Board Chairman at the constituent meeting of the new Supervisory Board after the end of the Annual Meeting.

 

Car makers open to higher CO2 targets, if there is matching infrastructure ramp-up across the EU

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The EU automobile industry is open to higher CO2 reduction targets for cars in 2030, provided that they are directly linked to binding commitments from member states to roll out the required charging points and hydrogen stations. CEOs of Europe’s leading car makers agreed this during a recent Board meeting of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).

in ACEA, 31-03-2021

In essence, ACEA is calling for the upcoming review of the CO2 Regulation for passenger cars and vans to be based on strict EU-wide infrastructure deployment objectives – set as part of the revision of the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure law (AFID).

“Our industry’s huge investments in alternatively-powered vehicles are paying off. Indeed, last year nearly one in 10 cars registered in the EU was electrically chargeable. But this trend can only be sustained if governments start making matching investments in infrastructure,” stressed ACEA President and CEO of BMW, Oliver Zipse. “That is why any new 2030 CO2 targets for cars must be conditional on a corresponding infrastructure ramp-up.”

Concretely, this means that there should be a link between the CO2 target on the one hand, and binding and enforceable national targets for charging points and refuelling stations on the other.

Zipse: “We need to utilise all available drivetrain technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of our vehicle fleet. For the uptake of electric vehicles, a simple logic applies: the number of charging points and hydrogen stations that EU member states actually commit to deploy under AFID will determine what is a realistic CO2 target for 2030.”

In addition, EU member states should implement a legal framework for the rapid rollout of private charging infrastructure at home and in workplaces.

Zipse: “Carmakers remain fully committed to carbon-neutral mobility and we are bringing the required technology to the market at a very high pace. But this cannot be a one-sided obligation. Success of the overarching goal of lowering the CO2 emissions of the transport sector depends fundamentally on having the right infrastructure. We count on the Commission to make the necessary link between industry targets and those of EU member states.”

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Notes for editors

 

 

 

Portuguese-built Fuso all-electric eCanter launches in Australia

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The launch of the first Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) all-electric truck available in Australia heralds a new age of electric mobility in Australian cities.

in Mitsubishi Fuso / AICEP, 30-03-2021

Fuso’s eCanter, developed with the global engineering might of Daimler, has arrived with class-leading safety and will be supported by select Fuso eMobility dealers.

Six liquid-cooled lithium ion batteries mounted in the eCanter frame store 82.8kW/h of electricity (with 66kW/h of usable power) and feed a permanent magnet synchronous motor.

Power output is rated at 135kW and 390Nm of torque can be delivered the moment the accelerator pedal is pressed.

Fuso will consult with customers and advise them on the optimal charging infrastructure for their specific needs.

The eCanter became the world’s first small series electric production truck in 2017 and has been subject to a rigorous testing regime around the world since including a six-month Australian test running with a maximum load.

A limited number will be available for customers in Australia during the initial stages of the introduction.

Production availability is expected to increase in time according to Daimler.

While the regular Australian diesel Canters are produced in Fuso’s Kawasaki plant in Japan, Australian eCanters are made at the Tramagal factory in Portugal.

 

BMW Group steps up sustainable sourcing of lithium for battery cell production to ensure rapid e-mobility expansion

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The BMW Group will be accelerating its expansion of e-mobility in the coming years. This will also increase the need for lithium, an important raw material for production of battery cells. For this reason, the company will source lithium from a second leading supplier, US-based Livent. The value of the multi-year contract will total around 285 million euros. Livent will supply the lithium directly to the BMW Group’s battery cell manufacturers from 2022 on.

in BMW Group, 30-03-2022

  • Multi-year contract worth around 285 million euros with US company Livent
  • Responsible extraction of lithium in Argentina
  • Participating in study of sustainable lithium extraction in South America
  • Wendt: “Making ourselves technologically, geographically and geopolitically less dependent on individual suppliers”

The BMW Group will be accelerating its expansion of e-mobility in the coming years. By 2030, at least half the company’s global sales are expected to come from fully-electric vehicles. This will also increase the need for lithium, an important raw material for production of battery cells. For this reason, the company will source lithium from a second leading supplier, US-based Livent. The value of the multi-year contract will total around 285 million euros. Livent will supply the lithium directly to the BMW Group’s battery cell manufacturers from 2022 on.

“Lithium is one of the key raw materials for electromobility. By sourcing lithium from a second supplier, we are securing requirements for production of our current fifth generation of battery cells. At the same time, we are making ourselves technologically, geographically and geopolitically less dependent on individual suppliers,” said Dr Andreas Wendt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network.

The BMW Group already signed a contract for the procurement of lithium from so-called hard-rock deposits at Australian mines back in 2019. Now, the company is broadening its supplier base and additionally sourcing lithium from Argentina, where the raw material is obtained from brine from salt lakes. Livent employs an innovative method, that emphasises sustainable water use and minimises the impact on local ecosystems and communities. The company will also contribute important data to the study of sustainable lithium mining initiated by the BMW Group.

The BMW Group sources critical raw materials like lithium and cobalt directly from producers and makes them available to its battery cell suppliers. In this way, the company creates complete transparency over the origin and mining methods of the material.

Sustainable lithium extraction in Argentina

The salt lakes in the border region between Argentina, Bolivia and Chile are home to roughly half the world’s lithium reserves. In conventional lithium mining, brine from the layers below the salt lakes is pumped out of the ground and evaporated in shallow basins.

Livent obtains lithium from a brine resource in northern Argentina, using a proprietary method that is particularly sustainable. To minimise the impact on the surrounding ecosystem, most of the brine used is returned directly to the surrounding habitat and not evaporated. This largely preserves the balance between the brine layers and groundwater layers. Solvents and other chemicals do not come into contact with the environment during this process. It also takes up much less space, since evaporation basins are barely used. The company is also involved in local educational programmes and infrastructure measures.

Lithium water study in cooperation with University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Massachusetts Amherst

The BMW Group and BASF commissioned a scientific analysis of the water use of different lithium mining methods in South America from the University of Alaska Anchorage and University of Massachusetts Amherst in late 2020. The study will investigate the impact of lithium mining on local water resources and the surrounding ecosystems.

The aim is to improve the scientific understanding of the relationship between fresh water and lithium brine aquifers, to evaluate different technologies and thus provide the foundation for assessing sustainable lithium mining. The study will provide companies with a scientific basis to make more informed decisions on sustainable lithium mining in Latin America. The results of the study should be available in the first quarter of 2022.

Working towards strict IRMA standard for lithium mining

The BMW Group became the first automotive manufacturer worldwide to join the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) in early 2020. IRMA is a multi-stakeholder governed initiative that has developed guidelines for responsible extraction of raw materials and defined strict requirements for meeting its environmental and social standards. The BMW Group has set itself the goal of having mining suppliers certified according to this standard in the future. On the recommendation of the BMW Group, Livent has now become a pending member of IRMA, signifying its commitment to undergo a third-party audit in IRMA. Livent is the first company with mining operations in Argentina to have made this commitment, and one of the first lithium mining companies in the world to do so.

BMW Group ups the pace of electromobility expansion

The BMW Group will already have about a dozen fully-electric models on the roads from 2023. Between now and 2025, the BMW Group will increase its sales of fully-electric models by an average of well over 50 percent per year – more than ten times the number of units sold in 2020. By the end of 2025, the company will have delivered a total of around two million fully-electric vehicles to customers.

Based on its current market forecast, the company expects at least 50 percent of its global sales to come from fully-electric vehicles in 2030. At this point, there will no longer be any segment position in the BMW Group’s entire product portfolio where the company does not offer at least one fully-electric model. The company will also be capable of handling a much larger percentage of fully-electric vehicles if demand develops accordingly. In total, over the next ten years or so, the BMW Group will be releasing about ten million fully-electric vehicles onto the roads.

 

Fuel types of new buses: electric 6.1%, hybrids 9.5%, diesel 72.9% market share in 2020

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Overall in 2020, 72.9% of all new medium and heavy buses (over 3.5 tonnes) registered in the European Union ran on diesel, down almost 10 percentage points from 2019. At the same time, electrically-chargeable vehicles (ECV) made up 6.1% of total new bus registrations last year, and hybrid buses increased their market share from 5.7% in 2019 to 9.5%. All alternatively-powered vehicles (APV) combined represented more than a third of the total EU bus market in 2020.

in ACEA, 30-03-2021

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Diesel and petrol buses

Last year, registrations of diesel-fuelled buses took the biggest hit from the coronavirus crisis, with sales falling by 27.1% to 20,458 units across the European Union1. Diesel held an EU-wide market share of 72.9% in 2020, down from 82.4% in 2019. Each of the four major EU markets recorded double-digit losses last year: Spain (-46.2%), Italy (-26.6%), France (-21.9%) and Germany (-15.9%). Over the same period, only six petrol buses were sold in the EU, all of them in Hungary.

Alternatively-powered vehicles (APV)

In 2020, registrations of new electrically-chargeable2 buses in the EU increased by 18.4% from 1,448 units in 2019 to 1,714 buses sold in 2020, representing a market share of 6.1%. With 446 electric buses sold last year, the Netherlands was the leading market for these vehicles, followed by Germany (388 units) and Poland (200 units). Together, these three countries accounted for more than 60% of total sales of electrically-chargeable buses across the EU.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), on the other hand, made up 9.5% of the EU bus market in 2020. Registrations of hybrid buses totalled 2,662 units last year, an increase of 36.0% compared to the year before. Germany accounted for roughly half of total sales with 1,243 units. By contrast, in 14 EU countries not a single hybrid electric bus was sold last year.

11.4% of all new buses sold in the European Union in 2020 ran on alternative fuels3, nearly all of them powered by natural gas. France (+71.3%), Sweden (+63.4%) and Spain (+13.4%) – the largest EU markets for these vehicles – all posted double-digit percentage increases in 2020. This contributed to an uplift in sales of 24.3% across the region, reaching a total of 3,206 buses registered last year.

1 Data for Bulgaria, Malta and Lithuania not available

2 Includes full battery electric vehicles, fuel-cell electric vehicles, extended-range vehicles and plug-in hybrids

3 Includes natural gas, LPG, biofuels and ethanol vehicles

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BMW Group and Daimler Mobility join forces with bp as a partner for Digital Charging Solutions GmbH, to further accelerate the growth of electrification

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  • Daimler Mobility AG and BMW Group significantly strengthen the customer offering of Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS) by adding bp as the third shareholder with a stake of 33.3%.
  • DCS is a leading developer of digital charging software for automotive manufacturers and vehicle fleet operators. Its in-car software integration provides EV drivers with seamless access to one of Europe’s largest charging networks.
  • DCS already offers access to 228,000 charging points in 32 countries. The addition of bp is expected to provide DCS customers access to an additional 8,700 charging points across Europe including ultra-fast charging (more than 150kw) and develop new integrated offers for fleets (including fuel and charge) as a first step
  • The partners intend to drive forward the transition to electrification.

in Daimler AG / BMW Group, 30-03-2021

bp agreed to join BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG in their drive to extend and significantly improve electrification, making electric vehicle charging more convenient, simpler and seamless for drivers.

Under their agreement, bp will become a 33.3% partner alongside BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG in Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS), one of Europe’s leading developers of digital charging solutions for automotive manufacturers and vehicle fleet operators. bp’s acquisition of the stake in DCS will be subject to regulatory approval. The terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

DCS’s services are important for the electrification strategies of the automotive industry. The company works with OEMs to integrate its charging solutions into vehicle operating systems. The BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG operate mobility services under the umbrella of the YOUR NOW Joint Ventures. Digital Charging Solutions GmbH stands behind the CHARGE NOW brand and operates charging services such as “Mercedes me Charge”, “BMW Charging” and “MINI Charging”. DCS already offers access to 228,000 charging points in 32 countries giving OEMs, fleet customers and EV drivers extensive access to charging infrastructure across Europe.

This collaboration allows additional access to a growing network of chargers across Europe

As part of the agreement, bp’s European charging networks will be integrated into the DCS’s network as well as fuel and charge for fleet customers, as a first step. Electrification is at the heart of bp‘s convenience and mobility strategy and the company aims to grow its network of public EV charging points by 2030 to over 70,000 worldwide. They currently have around 8,700 charging points in Europe and it’s UK network bp pulse is already the most used EV charging network in the UK1. The company is also rapidly growing its network of ultra-fast chargers and plans to have around 250 ultra-fast chargers operating at bp retail sites in the UK and 500 ultra-fast charging points across its retail sites in Germany by year end. DCS customers will gain access to these additional charging points and bp will gain access to a wider customer base.

Richard Bartlett, bp senior vice president, future mobility & solutions said: “Our aim is to make charging as convenient as refueling at the pump – fast, reliable and a great customer experience. Joining forces with BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG in DCS, combined with the expansion of our ultra-fast charging network, will help provide drivers access to convenient charging where they need it. It also gives us access to a much wider customer base and will ultimately drive up utilisation rates on our network.”

“Together with the BMW Group, we are consistently driving forward the transition to electric mobility. With bp, we are gaining a strategic partner who will help us to further strengthen the customer offering of DCS. bp’s large network of retail sites offers ideal conditions for the expansion of charging infrastructure – precisely where customers of electric vehicles need and expect them. We also see great potential in combining tank and charging solutions for the growing customer group of plug-in hybrids. bp’s commitment will help DCS accelerate the implementation of its ambitious plans,” says Stephan Unger, Chief Financial Officer of Daimler Mobility AG, responsible for Finance and Controlling, Risk Management and Digital Mobility Solutions.

“A sufficient charging infrastructure is key to wider acceptance of electrification. With bp, the BMW Group and Daimler Mobility AG have on board a partner who offers a strong brand and customer focus with an extensive European ultra-fast charging network, as well as retail sites. We strongly support an open and full-coverage charging network, as this is a clear benefit for our customers,” adds Rainer Feurer, Senior Vice President of Investments at the BMW Group.

“Our cooperation with bp opens up completely new possibilities for expanding our product portfolio making charging even more comfortable for our customers. We know that combined charging and fueling offers are pivotal for our fleet customers.  We look forward to adding bp’s retail sites to our network and being able to jointly create innovative integrated services,” adds Jörg Reimann, CEO of Digital Charging Solutions GmbH.

This collaboration will help to get more EVs on the roads and, ultimately, help us move towards more sustainable mobility.

 

Consistent implementation of the electric strategy of Mercedes-Benz Vans: Next generation eSprinter to be built at three plants

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  • New eSprinter will be produced in North Charleston, SC/USA, Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde, Germany, successively starting second half of 2023
  • Mercedes-Benz to invest around €50 million in each plant as part of electrification shift
  • Next generation of the eSprinter to help develop new markets with a focus on the USA and Canada
  • With the next generation eSprinter, Mercedes-Benz Vans implements next stage of its electrification plan in pursuit of its ‘Lead in Electric Drive’ plan

in Daimler AG, 30-03-2021

Management and employee representatives at Mercedes-Benz have struck an agreement to build the next generation eSprinter van, which is based on the newly developed Electric Versatility Platform, at three locations: North Charleston, South Carolina, Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde in Germany. Based on a new platform announced at the end of 2020, the next generation of the eSprinter targets new customer segments and markets, including the USA and Canada. Mercedes-Benz is investing around €350 million in the next generation eSprinter. The necessary conversion measures in plants and retraining is currently in preparation.

“The future of mobility is electric in the transport sector, especially in the last mile delivery segment. Our share of battery-electric vehicles is constantly growing. We have consistently aligned our strategy accordingly, and underline with our strategic pillar ‘Lead in Electric Drive’ our leadership aim in electric mobility in the vans sector,” says Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. “With our newly developed Electric Versatility Platform, we are significantly expanding our offering in the commercial series. With production of the next generation of the eSprinter in the USA and in Germany, we ensure market-oriented production. In total, we are investing around €350 million into the next generation of the eSprinter.”

“We have decided to expand the next generation of the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter to a total of three locations in our strong global production network, thus creating optimal synergies. We will benefit from our experience which we have already built up very successfully in the production of electric and conventionally driven vans on a line at our plant in Düsseldorf. In the future, we will be able to quickly meet the ever-increasing demand for electrically driven vans and, thanks to our intelligent and flexible production, be able to respond very precisely to the requirements of the different markets and make optimum use of our capacities,” says Dr. Ingo Ettischer, Head of Production at Mercedes-Benz Vans. “For the adjustment of production, we will invest around €50 million in each of the three plants. We will start production of the eSprinter successively from the second half of 2023.”

Sustainable production is another important step on the road toward CO2 neutrality. As early as 2022, Mercedes-Benz’ own passenger car and van plants will produce CO2-neutral worldwide in line with the targets of Ambition 2039. Mercedes-Benz will seek to avoid or cut emissions generated from vehicle production or from the energy supply used by the plants. Ettischer: “At Mercedes-Benz Vans, we are pursuing CO2-neutral production and from 2022 we will only use electric energy from renewable sources in all our own plants.”

The current generation of the eSprinter is already being built in Düsseldorf together on one line with conventionally driven Sprinter models. The principle of manufacturing both drive train variants will also be implemented at the plants in Charleston and Ludwigsfelde. In this way, it will be possible to respond very precisely to the respective market needs in the future. In addition to the previously available variant as a panel van, the next generation of the eSprinter will also be produced as a chassis model and will thus serve as a basic vehicle for, among other things, ambulances, motorhomes or refrigerated transporters.

About the plants

The Mercedes-Benz Düsseldorf plant will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2022. At the end of 2020, around 6,000 employees were employed in Düsseldorf. This is where the Sprinter panel van and the current generation of the eSprinter run off the production line.

The Mercedes-Benz plant in Ludwigsfelde celebrated its 30th anniversary in February this year. At the end of 2020, around 2,000 employees produced the chassis models of the Sprinter.

The Mercedes-Benz plant in Ladson/North Charleston, SC, was founded 15 years ago as an assembly plant for Sprinter and Metris vans, and was expanded to part-by-part production for Sprinter vans in 2018. By the end of 2020, the Plant in Charleston had about 1,600 employees.

 

El tercer modelo de Volkswagen Navarra se llama Taigo

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Volkswagen ha anunciado que el tercer modelo, el cual llega para acompañar a los Polo y T-Cross, que se fabricará este año en la factoría del Grupo en Navarra ha sido bautizado con el nombre de Taigo. El constructor alemán ha desvelado los primeros trazos de este SUV coupé deportivo, que se lanzará a finales de año. 

in AutoRevista, 30-03-2021

Desde la compañía señalan que, ubicado en el segmento de los vehículos pequeños, el nuevo modelo se caracteriza por ofrecer un diseño carismático, un nuevo concepto operativo y una multitud de sistemas de asistencia.

El constructor alemán subraya que el Taigo, de próxima producción en la planta de Pamplona, se incorpora al creciente segmento CUV (Vehículo Utilitario Crossover) que combina la posición elevada de los asientos con una silueta coupé deportiva.

Basado en el modelo Nivus, con el que Volkswagen ha cosechado notables éxitos en Brasil, se lanzará al mercado con motores TSI, faros delanteros LED de serie, un concepto operativo moderno y un interior completamente digitalizado. La imagen facilitada corresponde a un prototipo cercano a la producción en serie y todavía no está disponible para la venta en Europa.

 

Primeros trazos de un prototipo cercano a la producción basado en el Nivus brasileño. Foto: Volkswagen

 

Digitalization push: Mercedes-Benz and Siemens launch strategic partnership for sustainable automotive production

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  • Mercedes-Benz and Siemens to expand the digitalization of sustainable production methods, expanding a long-standing successful cooperation in the field of engineering and production
  • Partnership to develop innovative solutions for the qualification of employees, digitalization and for increasing energy efficiency in production

in Mercedes-Benz AG, 29-03-2021

Mercedes-Benz and Siemens plan to cooperate on advancing digitalization and automation in the automotive industry, supported by the State of Berlin. Mercedes-Benz AG aims to digitize its production processes. Siemens, a leading supplier in the field of automation, industrial software and smart infrastructure, will bring its expertise and technologies to the partnership to develop highly flexible, efficient and sustainable automotive production together with Mercedes-Benz.

Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG, Production and Supply Chain Management:

“Mercedes-Benz takes digitalization to the next level in the global Mercedes-Benz Cars production network. Together with Siemens, we are driving forward the development of sustainable future technologies – from Berlin for the whole world.”

In this context, the Mercedes-Benz Berlin-Marienfelde site in Germany will be transformed into a competence centre for digitalization with a focus on the development and implementation of the digital Mercedes-Benz Cars ecosystem MO360 (http://mb4.me/UWbRz2GR), in addition to the redesign of production activities. In the future, e-mobility components will also be assembled in Berlin. The company wants to secure the future for the Berlin plant, which is the oldest site in the Mercedes-Benz global powertrain production network. The Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus in Berlin is the technological and digital nucleus for the whole Mercedes-Benz Cars production network. Its objective is to roll out the new developments that have been tested in Berlin at the Mercedes-Benz plants worldwide and to provide the users with the required qualifications.

With the Werner-von-Siemens Centre for Industry and Science in the Siemensstadt in Berlin, there is already an excellent wealth of experience that can be incorporated into the cooperation. With the synergies of the Siemensstadt2 and the Mercedes-Benz Digital Factory Campus Berlin, plants that represent the origin of industrialization in Germany, will be transformed into two modern digital sites.

Cedrik Neike, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CEO Digital Industries:

“We are further expanding our decades-long successful cooperation with Mercedes-Benz in the field of engineering and production. Together, we want to take the next big step towards sustainable and even more competitive automotive production. To achieve this, both partners rely on end-to-end digital technologies to connect technology, sustainability and new working environments more closely than ever before.”

Siemens leading automation and software solutions lay the foundation for the digital transformation of automotive production. The physical and virtual worlds as well as operational technology and IT can be combined with them. This opens up new possibilities for gathering, understanding and using the huge amounts of data generated in engineering and production. With innovative IoT applications, for example, production processes can be made much more flexible and energy efficient.

Michael Müller, Governing Mayor of Berlin:

“Today’s agreement is a clear commitment by Mercedes-Benz and Siemens to Berlin as a location for innovation and production. Both companies have long established and close ties to Berlin. With their strategic partnership, they are strengthening Berlin’s leading scientific and research location and can secure jobs and training places. We are very pleased that Siemens and Mercedes-Benz want to jointly advance the digitalization of production processes from here – and we are very happy to support networking and cooperation with potential partners from science, research and business who are working here in the capital on future-oriented digital solutions for industrial applications and production.”

The State Government of Berlin welcomes and supports both the clear commitment to the production and innovation location, the transformation and the cooperation between the two companies. The State of Berlin will support the partnership, which is part of the excellent science and start-up landscape in Berlin. Against this background, the Governing Mayor of Berlin will sponsor the cooperation.

 

 

Fábrica da Autoeuropa em Palmela retoma produção após paragem por falta de semicondutores

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De acordo com os números divulgados pela fábrica do grupo Volkswagen em Palmela, a suspensão temporária da produção, durante uma semana, terá provocado uma “perda de 5700 automóveis”

in Expresso / Lusa, 29-03-2021

A fábrica da Autoeuropa, em Palmela, retoma esta segunda-feira a produção de automóveis, que tinha sido interrompida no passado dia 22 de março, devido à falta de semicondutores, confirmou à agência Lusa fonte da empresa.

De acordo com os números divulgados pela fábrica do grupo Volkswagen em Palmela, a suspensão temporária da produção, durante uma semana, terá provocado uma “perda de 5700 automóveis”.

A Volkswagen Autoeuropa cancelou todos os turnos de produção entre os dias 22 e 28 de março devido à falta de semicondutores no mercado, um problema que já se faz sentir há algum tempo no setor automóvel, mas que, até agora, ainda não tinha obrigado a nenhuma suspensão de produção na fábrica de Palmela, no distrito de Setúbal.

No último trimestre de 2020, o Grupo Volkswagen tinha já criado uma `task force´ com o objetivo de minimizar o impacto da escassez global de semicondutores nas suas fábricas.

A Volkswagen Autoeuropa iniciou este ano de 2021 a operar na sua máxima capacidade, tendo apenas ajustado os turnos de produção durante duas semanas, em função do encerramento dos estabelecimentos de ensino, a que se seguiu agora esta paragem devido à falta de matéria-prima.

A fábrica da Autoeuropa, com 5282 colaboradores, dos quais 98% com vínculo permanente, produziu 192.000 automóveis e 20 milhões de peças para outras fábricas do grupo alemão em 2020, que representam 1,4% do Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) e 4,7% das exportações portuguesas.