Mercedes-Benz has now formally announced that, starting in 2026, its subsidiary Accumotive will handle both the assembly of the next battery generation in Kamenz, Germany, as well as the reconditioning of used batteries. Work on preparation has already begun.
Factory repair solutions for previous Mercedes-Benz battery generations will be handled by the “Battery ReUse Centre Europe” and repurposed within the company’s aftersales network. An existing building on the manufacturing grounds will be expanded and renovated for this purpose. This has already started to be worked on. Early 2026 is when the facilities are expected to be put into service.
In order to achieve this, an existing building on the manufacturing grounds will be expanded and renovated. The facilities are expected to open in early 2026, and construction has already started. The batteries that have already been utilised at the “Battery ReUse Centre Europe” in Saxony will undergo comprehensive testing for quality and performance in accordance with the requirements for series production as soon as the facility really begins operations. After that, the repaired batteries will be utilised as replacements in electric cars. Mercedes isn’t revealing the anticipated amounts, though.
Since 2012, the Mercedes subsidiary Accumotive in Kamenz, Saxony, has been putting battery systems together, first for the electric Smart and now for the electric Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The press announcement on the ramp-up of battery assembly for the new CLA also includes the formal confirmation of the battery reconditioning. According to the press statement, Accumotive has been providing the new battery generation to the Rastatt factory since this year.
According to Mercedes, “A production line about 350 metres long is used to manufacture the extremely complex batteries.” “A large number of components, cell modules, cooling plates, and sensors are precisely implemented in the housing using approximately 50 different manual and highly automated assembly processes.” “Integrative high-voltage cabling is then used to connect these components to the various electronic components of the battery.” Finally, a variety of test benches are used to perform mechanical and electrical validation.
Since early June, the compact vehicle plant in Rastatt has been producing the new CLA in series. Kamenz delivers the battery packs, which are constructed from purchased cells, to the vehicle facility. Axles and electric drive units are sourced from the Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant, while body shells, structural, and body parts are sourced from Kuppenheim. The first Mercedes-Benz battery recycling facility is situated here as well, and it has been operational since October 2024. In Kuppenheim, old batteries can be recycled if they are no longer suitable for use.