Shanghai (ZXZC)- With the completion of its assembly shop, Beijing Benz’s NEV (new energy vehicle) plant in Shunyi will start production in the near future, according to local media outlets. The new modern facility will build the EQC, a battery electric SUV as well as new-generation GLB as scheduled.

（photo source: Mercedes-Benz）

The high-standard facility, in accordance with "Daimler Factory 56" criteria, is a benchmarking plant across the world. The assembly workshop, covering an area of 161,000 square meters after expansion, boasts 90% automation. It integrates Mercedes-Benz’s modular front-wheel-drive architecture (MFA), the rear-wheel-drive architecture (MRA) and its dedicated electric vehicle architecture, the EVA2 so that mixed-model production can be realized.

The plant was once a production base for BAIC's Beijing branch and used to produce passenger vehicles under Senova, a marque owned by the Chinese automaker. Last year, the joint venture decided to select Shunyi as its NEV plant location. The Sino-German joint venture (JV) expects the facility’s output value to reach 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) next year after its upgrading. 

Besides, the all-new EQC, the JV’s first locally-made all-electric luxury SUV, hit the Chinese market last month. It also launched the GLB, seven-seater compact SUV, which is available with three variants. In the future, the company is expected to offer the GLB 260 version and the GLB 35 AMG.