Mercedes-Benz is committed to electrification not only when it comes to its passenger cars but also the trucks it makes. The latest investment plans announced by Daimler Truck clearly prove that, as the company’s largest plant in the world will build battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell trucks.

Located in Wörth am Rhein, in southwestern Germany the facility will become the center for emission-free transport within the Mercedes-Benz truck production network. Mind you, it will continue to build conventional trucks too, at least for the foreseeable future. Thanks to the so-called fullflex concept, zero-emission trucks will be built on the same assembly line as ICE trucks.

The facility will start making the already announced eActros for urban distribution starting in October 2021, the eEconic in 2022, and the eActros LongHaul for long-distance transport from 2024. Furthermore, the plant will also build the first series-produced trucks with hydrogen-powered fuel-cell drive starting in 2027.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz Trucks' Largest Plant To Build All-Electric And Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Trucks

The company has pledged to invest significant amounts of money in the site in the coming years, but says the transformation also requires support from the public sector. As a result, Daimler Truck AG has submitted an application to the German government as part of the funding for hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies, which also includes the conversion at the Wörth plant. The state government of Rhineland-Palatinate has already signaled its support in the last government declaration.

“With the new target picture for the Wörth plant, we are securing the competitiveness and thus the long-term future of the location: In the future, we want to greatly expand the series production of our electric trucks here and are already creating the conditions for this.” 

Sven Gräble, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Operations, responsible for the global production network of Mercedes-Benz Trucks

In addition to the new zero-emissions trucks it will make, the entire Wörth site, including production, will be CO2-neutral from 2022, just like all other European Daimler Truck plants. The site will obtain electricity from wind and solar farms as well as hydroelectric power plants.

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