The car manufacturer Mercedes Benz want in Poland set up a factory for light electric transporters. “While we flexibly manufacture vans with combustion engines and electric drives on one line in all our existing plants, we will set up our world’s first purely electric plant in Jawor,” said the head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, Mathias Geisen (44). on Monday.
According to statements made at a press conference in Warsaw together with the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki (54), the group intends to invest more than one billion euros in the plant in the coming years. This should be geared towards the coming generation of purely electrically powered, large vans that are based on a new architecture. The decision in favor of Jawor depends, among other things, on the granting of subsidies.
US rival Rivian prefers other projects
In the meantime, the electric car manufacturer Rivian has put its considerations for a joint transporter production with Mercedes-Benz, which it only announced in September, on hold again. As both sides announced, the US company is currently preferring other projects.
“The pause in this partnership reflects our process of continually evaluating our major investment projects, taking into account our current and anticipated economic conditions,” said Claire McDonough, 40, Rivian Chief Financial Officer. Both manufacturers wanted to share production facilities and workers. Now Rivian is putting his European plans on hold.
Mercedes wants to build vans in Poland on the uniform electric platform VAN.EA planned for 2025. But Rivian is struggling at home in Illinois at a heavy loss due to increased material costs and delivery problems. From January to September, Rivian sold 14,000 vehicles and made a net loss of $1.7 billion. According to its own statement, its own money is enough for another year, and a capital increase of 1.5 billion dollars is being targeted.
Rivian’s major shareholder Amazon has ordered 100,000 electric delivery vans. the Rivian share
After a rollercoaster ride this year, it is 74 percent below the previous year’s level.