Daimler Truck AG has launched a Battery Technology Center (BTC) in Mannheim, Germany, enabling the company to produce its own battery cells and battery packs on a pilot line. The BTC, dedicated to developing commercial vehicle-specific battery cells and next-generation truck batteries, spans over 10,000 square meters.
The facility’s opening follows a strategic partnership with mechanical engineering company Manz, announced in May 2022. “Product and process development for battery electric commercial vehicles is carried out on an area of over 10,000 square meters,” Daimler Truck stated. The BTC combines both development and production capabilities.
The BTC is divided into two main areas. In the first, Daimler Truck will pilot the production of battery cells tailored to the demands of heavy commercial vehicles. In the second, prototype battery packs will be assembled and tested in both test benches and vehicles. This dual approach prepares Daimler Truck for future series production of the next generation of lithium-ion batteries, slated for the latter half of the decade.
The BTC is housed primarily in Building 18, a structure dating back to 1952. Originally used for machining cylinder crankcases and flywheels, the building was gutted, renovated, and expanded by 3,000 square meters to accommodate the new center. “Over 60 new machines and systems are being installed in the BTC, where the relevant processes for the prototypical production of battery cells and systems can be mapped: coating technologies, welding processes, assembly and adhesive processes,” Daimler Truck elaborated.
Daimler Truck aims to process supplied pre-products into battery cells and coat electrodes to gain “extensive knowledge of cell chemistry.” This involves experimenting with different recipes in the production of battery paste. The specially coated electrodes will be used to produce both pouch and prismatic cells, ensuring flexibility and expertise in manufacturing and scaling processes.
Optimizing processes on the pilot line for battery pack production is a key focus. Cells of various designs or chemistries will be combined into battery modules and assembled into battery packs for vehicle installation. Key components like cooling systems and battery management will also be integrated.
“The opening of our Battery Technology Center is an important step in terms of electrifying our product portfolio – and yet another milestone in the history of innovation at the Mannheim plant,” said Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck and responsible for Truck Technology. “We have decided to take care of the assembly of the future battery generation ourselves and thus keep important added value in-house. In and for Europe, we will do this at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Mannheim and thereby further strengthen the future of the location.”
Recently, Daimler Truck also inaugurated the ‘Technikum’ development center for electric motors at the Gaggenau plant, where it will develop and build prototypes to optimize production processes.
