Mercedes-Benz subsidiary Star Assembly has started assembling electric drive units for the new fully electric GLC at its plant in Sebeș, Romania, marking a key step in the automaker’s transition to electric mobility. The production site works closely with the Untertürkheim plant in Germany, which serves as the center of excellence for Mercedes-Benz’s drive technologies and builds systems for the upcoming electric CLA and other top-end models.
The GLC, one of the company’s best-selling mid-size SUVs, will soon debut in an all-electric version built on the new MB.EA-M platform. With vehicle production scheduled to begin in Bremen, Germany, Mercedes-Benz is ramping up component manufacturing across its global network.
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In Sebeș, the automaker has begun assembling complete electric drive units, consisting of an electric motor, power electronics, and the transmission system. This marks the first time the plant — which previously produced only transmissions since opening in 2013 — has taken on electric drive assembly.
“Producing the electric drive units for the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC is an important milestone in the transformation of our plant and underlines the role of Sebeș in the global Mercedes-Benz production network,” said Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group, responsible for Production, Quality, and Supply Chain Management. “Investments in the new production scopes enhance the flexibility and thus strengthen its future-readiness. I am proud of the highly engaged and skilled team that will continue its success story with this new high-tech product.”
To support production expansion, Mercedes-Benz has invested in a new 30,000-square-metre hall at the Sebeș site, integrating assembly and logistics operations for electric drive manufacturing. The project received a subsidy commitment from the Romanian government, which has welcomed the investment as a boost to local industry.
Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan praised the project at the inauguration ceremony, saying: “The investments of Mercedes-Benz mean technology transfer, access to markets, jobs, and integration of Romanian industry into the European value chain, which lays the foundation for an economy that will generate healthy development for the future. When a company comes to a location, it’s not only about production itself. It also means supporting education and social responsibility. To be a competitive country means to have a qualified workforce. I want to thank and congratulate the team at Star Assembly Sebeș for their significant contribution.”
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Starting next year, the Sebeș facility will also supply electric drive units to Mercedes-Benz’s Kecskemét plant in Hungary, where production of the new all-electric C-Class is set to begin. The move marks a major step in Mercedes-Benz’s strategy to internalize electric drivetrain production and strengthen its European EV manufacturing network.
