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Home | Green Cars News | Hybrids | Mercedes to Make Electric Engines for its Hybrids in Berlin

Mercedes to Make Electric Engines for its Hybrids in Berlin

30 March, 2010 12:54:00

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The Mercedes-Benz plant in Berlin is to produce a new generation of transmission-integrated electric engines for Mercedes-Benz hybrid vehicles from 2012 onwards.

The decision to award the contract for the development and production of the new transmission-integrated electric engine to Berlin was made as part of the overall strategy of actively shaping sustainable mobility. As part of this strategy, Daimler has also taken on a leading role in the development and production of battery cells and the future manufacture of lithium ion battery systems in two joint ventures with Evonik Industries AG.

A hall with a surface area of 4,000 m² is currently being converted for the new scope of production at the Berlin plant. The company is to invest around EUR 40 million in total in the development and production of the new engine. The necessary machinery and equipment is to be set up in the new production buildings by early 2011. A total of 50 employees will be involved in the development and production of these electric engines at the site. The engines are expected to be used in Mercedes-Benz hybrid vehicles from 2012 onwards.

The electric engine is a transmission-integrated version, i.e. the electric engine is built in as part of the automatic transmission and can develop an engine power of 15 kW and more. It boosts performance by interacting with the combustion engine and lowers consumption by recovering energy during braking, for example, which charges the battery.

The Berlin plant currently produces V6 and V8 diesel engines and V12 biturbo engines for the Mercedes-Benz and Maybach brands. It also focuses on product development and production in the area of components and parts.

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