Mercedez-Benz to produce electric engines in Sebeş, Romania

Star Assembly and Star Transmission, the local divisions of Mercedes-Benz AG, will produce electric motors for the new line of cars equipped with EQ batteries starting in 2024, Ziarul Financiar reported.

Last summer, Star Assembly representatives told ZF that “the production units in Romania, in Sebeş and Cugir, are an important part of the production network [...] of Mercedes-Benz cars globally. Factories are now fully utilized.” The company also said that it was looking to change the production portfolio of their plants.

Mercedez-Benz aims to spend around EUR 40 bln globally across its production centers to transition from conventional to electric cars. Part of that sum will be directed to the two factories in Romania, in Sebeş and Cugir. The plants currently produce components and gearboxes for cars with diesel or gasoline engines.

The German auto giant has so far invested roughly EUR 550 mln in the Sebeş factory. Founded in 2013, the center is an international automotive supplier of transmissions. It employs 1800 people. Since 2016, it has been assembling the 9G-TRONIC, nine speed automatic transmission.

The Sebes plant also houses a training facility. With the support of the Romanian government, the Star Assembly has become one of the first Romanian companies to offer a dual education system based on the model used in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, according to the company’s website.

(Photo source: Mercedes-Benz website)