Mercedes-Benz opens new eCampus for battery cell development

Mercedes-Benz has opened a new eCampus located in Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, Germany.

The new site will host a competence centre for the development of cells and batteries for the firm's future electric vehicles. Mercedes-Benz states that its goal it to develop innovative chemical compositions and optimised production processes for high-performance cells, and to reduce battery costs by more than 30% in the coming years.

The new site will test and evaluate new cell chemistries, and additionally comprehensively test and prove the safety and service life of batteries

Operations at the new competence centre will start in two stages. The 10,000sqm factory has already started production of battery cells and testing of these cells with chemistries on an industrial scale in an 'Industrial Cell Lab', and states that in due time, the production of tens of thousands of cells every year will be possible.

The new building for the second stage, meanwhile, is due to be completed by the end of this year, and will house a battery ramp-up factory for product and process development as well as maturity assurance for large-scale industrial production. This building will also house test benches to comprehensively test and prove the safety and service life of batteries.

The foundations of the new eCampus have been made of recycled concrete made from demolition materials, and more than 75% of the usable roof area of the state-of-the-art test and proving centre is equipped with photovoltaic systems and supply the facilities with renewable energy. The site also makes use of reversible heat pumps and cold accumulators to enable a sustainable heat supply and air-conditioning for its hall.

Mercedes-Benz's own production sites have been net carbon neutral since 2022, and the firm plans to cover more than 70% of its production energy requirements with renewable energy by 2030, with the additional goal of having all its production plants operate with 100% renewable energy by 2039.