Flexible Mercedes-Benz Plant Begins Assembling Next-Generation EV
Mercedes-Benz has ramped up production of its new CLA Series sedan at its state-of-the-art factory in Rastatt, Germany. Photo courtesy Mercedes-Benz AG
STUTTGART—Mercedes-Benz AG has ramped up production of its new CLA Series sedan at its state-of-the-art factory in Rastatt, Germany. The facility features flexible assembly lines that can build hybrid or fully electric vehicles, in addition to traditional internal combustion engine cars.
To prepare for production of the next-generation model, engineers virtually simulated the retooling of the assembly line. It was the first time that that automaker’s “digital first" approach was used. Within several weeks, the new line was configured and optimized, enabling the company to reduce construction time and costs.
In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) is being used for the first time in series production. This chip-to-cloud architecture enables vehicle software to be transferred via a central intelligent cloud server instead of via various hardware modules.
The Rastatt plant has also pioneered the use of AI-controlled process engineering in the paint shop’s top-coat booths. By monitoring relevant subprocesses using AI instead of conventional control systems, energy consumption was reduced by 20 percent.
Production in Rastatt is carbon-neutral. The plant is supplied with 100 percent green electricity, due to solar panels and external green supplies. Other reductions on energy consumption result from using a new generation of robots in the body shop, in addition to heat recovery in ventilation systems and the use of intelligent lighting control systems.
“The CLA is the first model of a completely new generation of vehicles to roll off the production line in Rastatt,” says Marco Zwick, site manager and head of production at the 33-year-old facility. “Our team has prepared intensively for this over the past few months and is rightly very proud of its success.”
According to Zwick, the next-genertion CLA sedan features a modular platform that enables maximum flexibility. It is designed to set new standards in range, efficiency and charging speed, offering customers a choice between an advanced electric drivetrain and a high-tech electrified combustion engine.
Several Mercedes-Benz facilities supply the Rastatt plant. Electric drive units and axles come from the Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant. Body and structural are made in Kuppenheim, while batteries are built in Kamenz.
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