Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis and TotalEnergies have agreed that Mercedes-Benz will become the new partner of Automotive Cells Company (ACC). As a result of the partnership, which will become official following regulatory approvals, ACC is committed to increasing its industrial capacity to at least 2030 GWh by 120.
ACC was established in 2020 as a result of an initiative between Stellantis and TotalEnergies and TotalEnergies' subsidiary Saft, supported by French, German and European authorities, with the aim of creating a leading company in the production of batteries for electric vehicles in Europe. The participation of a big name like Mercedes-Benz in the partnership clearly demonstrates the progress ACC has made in the industry and the value of the project and further strengthens the partnership.
ACC aims to achieve the highest level of quality and minimize its carbon footprint, as well as develop and manufacture battery cells and modules for electric vehicles with a focus on safety, performance and competition. The current ACC capacity plan will mobilize more than €7 billion of investment, which will be supported by subsidies and financed by equity and debt. The establishment of a leading company in battery manufacturing in Europe will help Europe overcome the challenges of the energy transition in mobility and secure the supply of a key component for the electric vehicle sector.
Ola Källenius, CEO of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, said in a statement: “Mercedes-Benz is implementing a very ambitious transformation plan and this investment represents a strategic milestone towards becoming carbon neutral. "Together with ACC, we will develop and efficiently manufacture battery cells and modules designed to Mercedes-Benz's specific requirements in Europe." Källenius continued: “This new partnership allows us to secure the battery cell supply, benefit from economies of scale and offer our customers superior battery technology. We can also help Europe stay at the center of the automobile industry, even in the electric vehicle era. Together with its new partner Mercedes-Benz, ACC aims to more than double the capacity at its European facilities to support Europe's sectoral competitiveness in the design and manufacture of battery cells.”
Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mercedes-Benz as a strategic partner who shares our passion for accelerating ACC's leadership. Stellantis' strategy to transition to electric vehicles is in full swing, and today's announcement represents our next step towards becoming the automotive industry pioneer, with 14 brands committed to delivering best-in-class, all-electric solutions that meet customer demands. This consortium draws on our shared technical expertise and manufacturing synergy, ensuring Stellantis continues to lead the world in the most efficient, cost-effective and sustainable mobility solutions.”
Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, said: “We are pleased to welcome Mercedes-Benz as the new partner of ACC. This demonstrates the credibility of the initiative we started with Stellantis a year ago and fully supports our ambition to establish a leading company in battery cell manufacturing in Europe. Together, we bring together all our skills to contribute to the development of sustainable mobility. This new step is yet another indication of TotalEnergies' transformation into a comprehensive energy company and our willingness to increase our effectiveness in electric mobility. “TotalEnergies will leverage the recognized expertise of its subsidiary Saft in the battery field and the industry know-how of our partners to meet the rapid growth of electric vehicles in Europe.”
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