Beijing (ZXZC)- Recently, the first-ever China-made Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty truck rolled off the production line at Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive Co., Ltd. (BFDA)’s new factory. The first batch of China-made Mercedes-Benz heavy-duty truck s will be officially delivered to customers in early November.

Photo credit: BFDA

Adhering its “In China, For China” strategy, Mercedes-Benz Truck has been actively sourcing its vehicle R&D within the country since the localization project kicked off. Leveraging Daimler’s global resources and Chinese market’s demand, the German truck giant aims to build vehicles armed with the latest European technologies that meet the Chinese market requirement. 

In the localization process, the automaker worked with 150 domestic suppliers to improve the manufacturing quality, and more than 1,500 kinds of auto parts were locally sourced. Currently, more than 50% of the Mercedes-Benz Actros heavy-duty truck lineup is manufactured with Chinese auto parts, while the localization rate of ActrosC series reached 90%.

Up to now, the sales and service network of Mercedes-Benz Truck’s China-made heavy-duty trucks has taken shape. By the end of 2022, there will be 100 branches within the network, realizing full coverage in provincial capitals and logistics hub cities.