Drive production for the Mercedes-Benz GLC kicks off in Romania
The GLC, a mid-range SUV, is one of the bestsellers in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio, but has so far only been available with a combustion engine. In September, a fully electric GLC based on the new MB.EA-M platform was unveiled, with production set to start soon in Bremen. This means that component manufacturing also needs to be ramped up – and this is now happening in Sebeș, Romania, among other places.
There, Star Assembly, a wholly owned Mercedes subsidiary, has now begun assembling the electric drive units for the fully electric GLC. This is the first time that electric drives have been built at the plant: previously, only transmissions were built at the site, which opened in 2013. An electric drive unit essentially consists of three subsystems: an electric motor, power electronics and the transmission part for power transmission. These are assembled into a complete system in Sebeș.
Sebeș is the second plant in the global production network to supply Mercedes-Benz vehicle plants with electric drive units. The production site works closely with the Untertürkheim plant, the centre of excellence for drive technologies. In Untertürkheim itself, the drive units for the new electric CLA and for “future models in the Top-End segment” are being built, as Mercedes-Benz wrote.
Mercedes has previously sourced the electric drives for models such as the EQA, EQC and EQE from external partners, primarily ZF. Among other things, the supplier has provided the Stuttgart-based manufacturer with the complete drive module for the EQC. The electric motors for the EQS come from Valeo Siemens eAutomotive. The outsourcing of electric drives, coupled with job cuts at its own plants, has repeatedly been a point of contention between management and the works council in the past. In January 2022, Mercedes-Benz announced its intention to build its own electric drives in future, which is now becoming clearly visible for the first time with the production of drives for the GLC in Sebeș and the CLA in Untertürkheim. The decision in favour of Sebeș was announced in December 2022.
“Producing the electric drive units for the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC is an important milestone in the transformation of our plant and underlines the role of Sebeș in the global Mercedes-Benz production network. Investments in the new production scopes enhance the flexibility and thus strengthen its future-readiness. I am proud of the highly engaged and skilled team that will continue its success story with this new high-tech-products,” says Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group and responsible for Production, Quality and Supply Chain Management.
Mercedes-Benz has invested in a new hall in Sebeș, covering more than 30,000 square metres and integrating both assembly and logistics functions for the production of electric drives. Mercedes has received a subsidy commitment from the Romanian government for this project. To mark the start of production, Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan and other government representatives visited the plant in Sebeș.
“The investments of Mercedes-Benz mean technology transfer, access to markets, jobs and integration of Romanian industry into the European value chain, which lays the foundation for an economy that will generate healthy development for the future. When a company comes to a location, it’s not only about production itself. It also means supporting education and social responsibility. To be a competitive country means to have a qualified workforce. I want to thank and congratulate the team at Star Assembly Sebeș for their significant contribution,” specified Ilie Bolojan, Prime Minister of Romania, at the inauguration.
Starting next year, Sebeș will also supply electric drives to the Hungarian Mercedes-Benz plant in Kecskemét, where the new electric C-Class will roll off the production line.
This article was first published by Florian Treiß for electrive’s German edition
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