Mercedes-Benz begins producing new EQS SUV at Alabama plant

Mercedes-Benz began production of the all-electric EQS SUV at its North American passenger vehicle plant yesterday. The rollout is a key step in Mercedes-Benz Cars’ global initiative to produce eight all-electric vehicles at seven sites on three continents this year.

The full-size EQS SUV is integrated in series production at the Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama, which has been the production site for large SUVs bearing the three-pointed star since 1997. Tuscaloosa serves as a key production location for Mercedes-EQ luxury electric SUVs: the EQS SUV and EQE SUV, which goes into production later this year.

The EQS SUV offers plenty of space, comfort and connectivity for up to seven passengers in its avant-garde, luxurious interior. Thanks to powerful electric motors, responsive 4MATIC all-wheel drive and an intelligent OFFROAD driving mode, the EQS SUV is also capable of tackling light terrain with ease.

Jorg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Production and Supply Chain, said: “Our production network is very well positioned for the sustainable and rapid scaling of electric vehicle volumes. With the new EQS SUV joining our production portfolio of all-electric Mercedes-EQ models, we reached another important milestone in our strategy to go all electric by the end of the decade – wherever market conditions allow. I am absolutely sure that our great Tuscaloosa team will make the electric SUV another global success.”

Following the Factory 56 flexible manufacturing footprint
The Tuscaloosa plant uses state-of-the-art digital, sustainable, efficient and flexible production methods and follows the blueprint of the company`s Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, Germany, which symbolizes the future of automotive production of Mercedes-Benz. Thanks to early investments into flexible production and the use of the state-of-the-art MO360 digital production ecosystem, Mercedes-Benz is already able to produce battery-electric vehicles in large volumes.

The new battery factory, which opened in Bibb County in March, produces the battery systems for the EQS SUV on a 985 feet-long production line with more than 70 workstations. A host of components is assembled into a complete system in a fully digitized production process, including up to 12 cell modules and what is known as the EE compartment for the intelligent integration of the power electronics. The battery for the EQS SUV is based on a modular architecture that is also used in the EQS and EQE sedans. With the new plant, Bibb County is now a part of the global Mercedes-Benz battery production network, which comprises of factories on three different continents.

Mercedes-Benz, which launched the electric EQS 53 4Matic+ sedan in India on August 24, 2022, is expected to introduce the EQS SUV to India sometime next year.