The Chinese company CATL becomes an important supplier of Mercedes electric cars. The previous cooperation with Daimler will be intensified.
Daimler is moving closer together with the Chinese supplier CATL for its electric car offensive. The two companies combined their research and development expertise in battery technology, said Daimler research director Markus Schäfter on Wednesday.
The agreement covers the entire range of electric propulsion from the cell to modules to complete systems. CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd) will be an important supplier for the next generation of electric cars from the Mercedes electric brand EQ. For example, the Stuttgart car manufacturer wants to be supplied from the new CATL plant in Erfurt.
CATL plant under construction in Germany
The collaboration covers the entire range of technologies, from individual cells to battery modules, including for the top EQS model, which will be released in 2021, to complete batteries that are to be used in Mercedes-Benz vans. This also includes the CATL Cell-to-Pack (CTP) design for individual projects, with which conventional modules are no longer required and cells are integrated directly into the battery. Only renewable energies should be used in production, it said. In future, CATL will deliver from its plant in Thuringia, which is currently under construction.
Daimler builds the batteries for the Mercedes-Benz cars itself and is currently building a worldwide network of factories. The group buys the cells that are in the batteries and also works with the manufacturers on development. Just recently, Daimler announced a far-reaching strategic partnership with the Chinese manufacturer Farasis. The Group’s truck division is already working closely with CATL.
