Latest news with #MBUSI
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mercedes-Benz announces new car coming to Alabama plant
VANCE, Ala. (WIAT) — Mercedes Benz will make a new car at its plant in Tuscaloosa County, although what this new 'core segment' vehicle will be or what it looks like is anyone's guess. In a statement released Thursday, the car manufacturer announced it would build a new car at its Mercedes-Benz U.S. International plant outside Tuscaloosa. Currently, the plant puts out the GLE and GLS; the EQE and EQS SUVs and the Mercedes-Maybach line of EQS and GLE vehicles. 'Tuscaloosa has been a key hub for Mercedes-Benz vehicles for almost 30 years,' said Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. 'It's a natural step to bring a further model to Alabama as part of a strategy to deepen our commitment to the United States, a market, which has been our home for more than a century.' Since opening in 1997, over 4.5 million cars have rolled off the line at MBUSI. Last year, the plant put out nearly 260,000 vehicles. 'We are getting even closer to the U.S. customer by localizing a core segment model in Tuscaloosa, strengthening our ties to the North American market where a range of Mercedes-Benz vehicles including the GLE and GLS models have their roots,' MBUSI CEO Jason Hoff said. The announcement comes in the wake of the Trump administration's proposed 25% tariffs on imported cars, as well as a 25% tariff on auto parts that is set to go into effect this weekend. According to a report by CNBC, an estimated 60% of the vehicles produced at Mercedes-Benz's Tuscaloosa County plant are exported. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Epoch Times
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Epoch Times
Mercedes-Benz to Bring Production of New Electric SUV to Alabama Plant
The White House announced on Thursday that Mercedes-Benz will start production of a new vehicle at its Alabama plant in 2027. 'Today, Mercedes-Benz announced it will move production of another vehicle to the U.S.—the latest result of President Donald J. Trump's relentless pursuit of American manufacturing dominance,' the White House said in a statement. 'The automaker will produce the vehicle at its Tuscaloosa, Alabama, plant following signals earlier this year that the company will make additional investments in its U.S.-based operations.' The German luxury automaker confirmed that this will be its first all-electric SUV to be built in the United States. 'The employees here at the site can be proud that the first all-electric SUV from Mercedes-Benz and its battery are being built in Alabama,' Michael Goebel, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI), said in an April 25 The automaker also touted its factory in Alabama, saying it has established itself as 'the global export hub for Mercedes-Benz SUVs. Roughly 60 percent of SUVs assembled at the plant are exported, the company said. Mercedes-Benz's announcement did not say whether the latest developments were a direct result of Trump's tariffs. Related Stories 2/17/2025 12/20/2024 However, the automaker suspended its 2025 financial forecasts on April 30, citing the 'uncertainty' caused by the auto tariffs on foreign-built cars and parts. The company experienced a 41 percent drop in first-quarter earnings. The 'current volatility with regard to tariff policies' made it difficult for Mercedes-Benz to assess future business development. NTD, sister media of The Epoch Times, reached out to the automaker for a statement and did not receive an immediate response. On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order that relaxed some of the tariffs imposed earlier this month. The order amended his previous 25 percent auto tariffs, making it easier for vehicles assembled in the United States with foreign parts not to face high import taxes. Trump's revised order provides a rebate of 3.75 percent relative to the sales prices of domestically assembled vehicles for one year. The Trump administration said it calculated the rates by applying a 25 percent duty to 15 percent of the value of domestically assembled vehicles in the first year and a 25 percent duty to 10 percent of that value for the second year. 'We just wanted to help them during this little transition, short term,' Trump told reporters. 'We didn't want to penalize them. ' Meanwhile, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey praised Mercedes-Benz's additional investment in her state. The automaker has invested more than seven billion dollars in Alabama since the 1990s. 'Their decision to launch production of a new core vehicle in Tuscaloosa shows global companies have confidence in our state and workforce,' the governor Sen. Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.) also applauded the move in a Mercedes-Benz isn't the only automaker onshoring production of its vehicles, the White House noted. Hyundai announced a $20 billion investment, including $5.8 billion for a new Louisiana steel plant to support its U.S.-based vehicle production. BMW has considered boosting production at its South Carolina plant, and Honda plans to shift production of its Civic vehicle from Japan to the United States. Additionally, the White House said that Kia plans to produce hybrid vehicles in Georgia, where the factory of its affiliate, Hyundai, is located, and Nissan is also considering shifting production from Mexico to the United States. Stellantis announced it would reopen its Belvidere, Illinois, plant to build a new midsize pickup truck, and Toyota revealed it would boost hybrid vehicle production at its West Virginia plant. The Associated Press contributed to this report. From NTD News
