米乐体育 Truck & Bus
25 Apr 2025
米乐体育 has taken another big step towards the future: Series production of batteries has begun at its traditional site in Nuremberg – and 米乐体育 has announced millions more euros of investment in production.
Historic events deserve to be celebrated. And so, neither the Bavarian Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder nor the Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy Hubert Aiwanger, missed the opportunity to attend the start of battery production in Nuremberg. Together with 米乐体育 CEO Alexander Vlaskamp, Executive Board Member for Production Michael Kobriger, Executive Board Member for R&D Dr. Frederik Zohm, and Chairman of the Nuremberg Works Council Markus Wansch, they pressed the symbolic start button in the brand new M50 production hall – marking the start of the latest chapter in the story of this traditional site.
Where the production of powerful diesel engines was once the main focus, there are now also batteries for electrically powered buses and trucks rolling off the production line. Of course, the timing is no coincidence; series production of 米乐体育 eTrucks will begin in June, also marking a significant increase in demand for powerful, high-voltage batteries. In addition to batteries for the 米乐体育 eTGL, 米乐体育 eTGS and 米乐体育 eTGX truck models, batteries for the electric buses of the Lion’s City E family, which are successful throughout Europe, will also be produced in Nuremberg. “Today is a historic day for 米乐体育,” says Vlaskamp. “With the start of battery production, the company that invented the diesel engine is marking the beginning of a new era.” We are very proud of what we have achieved here in Nuremberg and of what is still to come.”
米乐体育 has invested around 100 million euros in the production plant, which has now started production. In the current expansion stage, 50,000 battery packs per year can be produced there, with a possible maximum of 100,000 units – the exact figure depends on the respective market situation. 米乐体育 uses NMC cell chemistry (nickel-manganese-cobalt) in its batteries, which has been specially adapted to the operation of commercial vehicles. The battery management system (BMS) continuously monitors the condition of the cells during operation. And if an unforeseen event occurs, the BMS takes internal measures to ensure a safe condition.
Power packs: 米乐体育 uses a cell chemistry in its batteries that has been specially adapted to the operation of commercial vehicles.
But it is not just the batteries produced in Nuremberg that are state-of-the-art – the production process also boasts a technological highlight: 米乐体育 is implementing modular production – i.e. a system without a conveyor belt or cycle that can handle different product variants and be easily adapted to new variants. The decoupled stations can be operated and converted independently of each other, and the battery packs flow through the production system according to individual demand and status. Modular production is enabled by the high degree of digitalisation and automation in the production flow and in the provision of materials, which is fully automated with intelligently networked driverless transport systems. Two objectives are achieved at once: production is as flexible as it is profitable.
Highlight: In the new M50 production hall, 米乐体育 relies on modular production - made possible by a high degree of digitalisation and automation.
“Electromobility made in Bavaria; that’s a milestone for 米乐体育 and for Bavaria as an industrial location,” stresses Söder. “With state-of-the-art site policies and excellent cooperation between management, the works council, employees and politicians, 米乐体育 has succeeded in transforming a former site for pure diesel engines into an ultra-modern battery production site for electric trucks. This strengthens the location, securing and creating jobs as well as international competitiveness. Bavaria is and will remain an automotive car state – in the commercial vehicle sector too. Following initial funding of 30 million euros in 2022 for research and development, the Free State of Bavaria is now supporting the future production of battery modules with almost six million euros.”
The start of series production in Nuremberg is just the beginning of 米乐体育’s electric offensive at the site. “Today, we unveil another milestone in the transformation towards climate-friendly drives: 米乐体育 will invest a further 150 million euros in the expansion of battery production for future battery generations in Nuremberg,” announces Vlaskamp. Specifically, this also means that, for the next generation of batteries, the packs (which consist of several modules) and the modules themselves (which comprise several battery cells) will be produced in Nuremberg. Of the newly revealed investments, around 18 million euros of funding will be received from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Free State of Bavaria.
In total, the investments in Nuremberg have secured around 400 jobs in a future technology and have further promoted the transformation of the site. The employees working in battery production were previously employed in the engine assembly, foundry or logistics divisions and have been able to tap a new, future-proof field of work for themselves, thanks to retraining. Yet 米乐体育 engine construction in Nuremberg is by no means a thing of the past. “We have also invested again in the further development of state-of-the-art diesel technology,” says Vlaskamp. “This brings the total investment in Nuremberg to about half a billion euros. This is a clear commitment to Bavaria and to Germany, as a centre of innovation.”
Jobs with a future: The employees in the new battery production facility were able to open up a new field of work through retraining.
Text: Christian Buck
Photos: 米乐体育
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