Battery Technology for Daimler is Accelerating the Transition to Renewable Energy Generation

STUTTGART/KAMENZ -- June 1, 2015: Daimler is entering into business in the field of stationary energy storage plants with its one hundred percent subsidiary Deutsche ACCUmotive. The first industrial-scale lithium-ion unit is already on the grid and is being operated by the partner companies The Mobility House AG and GETEC Energie AG. For business with private customers in the area of energy storage in Germany, Daimler AG is planning to collaborate with EnBW AG. Daimler is also aiming to enter into cooperation with other sales and distribution partners both in Germany and at international level. "Mercedes-Benz energy storages provide the best confirmation that lithium-ion batteries Made in Germany have a viable future," says Harald Kröger, Head of Development Electrics/Electronics & E-Drive Mercedes-Benz Cars. "With our comprehensive battery expertise at Deutsche ACCUmotive we are accelerating the transition to sustainable energy generation both on the road and in the field of power supply for companies and private households. The technology that has proven its worth over millions of kilometres covered in the most adverse conditions, such as extreme heat and cold, also offers the best credentials for stationary use. We have been gathering initial experience in this field since 2012."

Established in 2009, Deutsche ACCUmotive GmbH und Co. KG develops, produces and markets highly complex drive batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles of the Mercedes-Benz and smart brands on the basis of lithium-ion technology. Deutsche ACCUmotive's entry into the new business field of stationary energy storage plants for industrial customers and private applications offers the company fresh opportunities for growth. At the same time, Daimler AG is making an active contribution to the process of transition towards sustainable energy generation and continuing the success story of German-based battery production. Daimler's first industrial-scale storage unit on the German power grid is being operated by the partners The Mobility House and GETEC through the joint venture Coulomb and marketed on the German energy exchange. Coulomb is deploying the energy storage plant from Kamenz, Saxony for the purposes of grid stabilisation and to smooth load peaks. These are tasks usually performed by coal-fired and nuclear power stations. 96 battery modules of the Mercedes-Benz energy storage plant with a total capacity of more than 500 kWh are already on the grid, to be increased step-by-step to 3000 kWh by the partners The Mobility House and GETEC in the coming weeks.

The concept evolved by Daimler Business Innovation goes far beyond industrial deployment. The business model also includes operation in the SME segment - at supermarkets, for example. Here too, the stationary energy storage plants can buffer load peaks on hot days.

Mercedes-Benz energy storages are also suitable for private use. Households with their own photovoltaic systems can buffer surplus solar power virtually free of any losses. Initial plants are already running in trial operation.

EnBW is offering interested private customers complete distributed energy supply solutions.

Developed for demanding service on board cars, the Mercedes-Benz energy storage units meet the very highest safety and quality standards. The battery modules with an energy content of 2.5 kWh (private) and 5.9 kWh (industrial) are produced by Deutsche ACCUmotive in Kamenz, Saxony, employing state-of-the-art production methods. For use in the private sector, up to eight battery modules can be combined to produce an energy storage plant with a capacity of 20 kWh. The systems are fully scalable to requirements for commercial and industrial use.

The Mercedes-Benz energy storage plants will be available for ordering as of June, with deliveries scheduled to begin this autumn.

Established in 2009, Deutsche ACCUmotive GmbH und Co. KG is a 100% subsidiary of Daimler AG. The company develops, produces and markets highly complex drive batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles on the basis of lithium-ion technology. Deutsche ACCUmotive is headquartered in Nabern in the greater Stuttgart area, where its research and development facilities are also located. Its production operations are based in Kamenz, Saxony. The Daimler subsidiary employs a workforce of over 250 – some 170 in Kamenz and around 80 in Nabern. Production operations in Kamenz are currently undergoing expansion, with the workforce set to be almost doubled by 2016. Daimler AG will be investing around 100 million euros in Deutsche ACCUmotive in the coming years. On completion of a third production shop this year, the company will have almost 20,000 m² of production and logistics space in Kamenz - representing a fourfold increase since production started up in 2011. Deutsche ACCUmotive has delivered more than 60,000 lithium-ion batteries to date. The company is expecting rising production figures for battery systems for automotive applications and in the new business segment of stationary battery storage devices.

As a pioneering think tank, Daimler Business Innovation concerns itself with current trends, studies social, cultural and technological trends and enriches the core business area of automobile manufacturing with creative solutions and business ideas. Numerous pilot projects in recent years have spawned new corporate units, such as the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy. The Business Innovation teams are based all over the world. In addition to the headquarters in Stuttgart they are also located in Istanbul, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Beijing and in Sunnyvale, California.