Marcedes-Benz becomes part of Automotive Cells Company (acronym Acc), the battery company created in 2020 by Stellantis and the French TotalEnergies with the aim of creating a European leader in battery sector for electric vehicles.
With the entry of the German giant, the Italy-France-Germany triangle closes on the European chessboard. Acc's industrial capacity will increase to at least 120 GWh by 2030. In figures, the increase will be based on a investment of 7 billion euros, which will be supported by grants and financed by equity and debt.
The agreement provides that Mercedes-Benz becomes an equal shareholder, which means that it will own a third of the shares. The remainder of the capital is instead divided between Stellantis and TotalEnergies.
The Acc will draw on a trio of partners that combine the technological expertise in battery development of TotalEnergies subsidiary Saft, the mobility solutions of Stellantis and the expertise of Mercedes-Benz in research and development, as well as its support to the expansion of Acc's manufacturing facilities based on the brand's benchmark quality standards, the three companies said in a statement
“We welcome Mercedes-Benz as a strategic partner who shares our ambition to accelerate Acc's leadership,” said the CEO of Stellantis, Carlos Tavares. “Stellantis' electrification strategy is on track and today's announcement is the next step in our plan to become the frontrunner in the automotive sector, with all 14 brands committed to offering the best fully electrified solutions able to meet the needs of customers,” added Tavares.
“Mercedes-Benz is pursuing a very ambitious transformation plan and this investment represents a strategic milestone on our journey towards carbon neutrality. Together with Acc, we will develop and produce battery cells and modules in Europe efficiently and specifically to meet the requirements of Mercedes-Benz,” he said. Ola Kaellenius, CEO of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz. “This new partnership allows us to secure supply, take advantage of economies of scale and supply our customers with superior battery technology. We will also be able to help ensure that Europe remains at the heart of the automotive industry, even in the age of electrification. With Mercedes-Benz as a new partner, ACC aims to at least double the capacity at its European sites to support European industrial competitiveness in battery cell design and manufacturing,' added the manager.
“We are delighted to welcome Mercedes-Benz as a new partner of Acc. This demonstrates the credibility of our initiative taken a year ago with Stellantis and will clearly support our ambition to create a European battery champion. Together, we will combine our capabilities to steer the future of mobility towards sustainable development,” he said Patrick Pouyanné, president and CEO of TotalEnergies.
