Mercedes-Benz invests RM8.67 billion with local partners in China for MPV, long-wheelbase CLA, GLE
Mercedes-Benz Group has announced plans to invest more than US$2 billion (RM8.67 billion) with local Chinese partners to expand its product line-up in China, according to reports. China Car News.
Of the investment, more than US$1.4 billion (RM6.07 billion) will be allocated to passenger vehicle operations, while US$550 million (RM2.38 billion) will go to light commercial vehicles.
These models, which will be produced in China, will be produced by existing Mercedes-Benz joint ventures. For passenger vehicles, it will be Beijing Benz, a joint venture with BAIC, while for light commercial vehicles it will be Fujian Benz, a joint venture with BAIC and Fujian Motor Company.
Among the planned passenger cars, Beijing Benz will begin producing models built on the MMA architecture next year, possibly starting with the all-electric, long-wheelbase CLA, according to the report. CLA Concept was launched last year with the aim of introducing a whole new range of all-electric vehicles for beginners.
The China-specific investment will also be directed towards the long-wheelbase GLE SUV, which will also be a China-exclusive model and the first model developed by the brand’s R&D team in China, the report noted. The long-wheelbase GLE will emphasize rear-seat passenger comfort and smart technologies aimed at the Chinese market.
The investment will be directed to Fujian Benz’s light commercial division which will be geared towards the production of a new luxury electric MPV model that will be built on the manufacturer’s VAN.EA Architectureand all future medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks will be built on this scalable electric platform.
The German brand is also developing a new software architecture called MB.OS, which is being developed in-house and is expected to launch next year alongside new models based on the modular MMA architecture. This will deliver a new MBUX virtual assistant with enhanced three-dimensional graphics and large language models, as well as an ‘end-to-end’ intelligent driving system tailored for the Chinese market, the company said.
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