Battery cells: Daimler buys at Farasis

Still, the piece numbers are low, but when the electro-Offensive of Mercedes succeed, not to fail due to the batteries: Daimler has invested in the Chinese battery cell manufacturer, Farasis Energy, and thus securing a strategic partnership. The Daimler informed, after the night on Friday Farasis in Shanghai to the stock exchange is gone. In the course of this IPO, we have taken 3 percent of Farasis.

Susanne Preuß

business correspondent in Stuttgart, Germany.

The partnership between Daimler and Farasis has already begun in the past year, as it was agreed that the Chinese cell manufacturer in Bitterfeld-Wolfen in Saxony-Anhalt, is building a plant for battery cells and up to 2000 new jobs. The factory, which is intended exclusively for the supply of Mercedes that has been designed from the outset as a CO2-neutral factory.

More than a pure financial commitment grade

The recently agreed strategic partnership to offer Mercedes the safe supply of battery cells, while Farasis planning for the capacity to receive construction, it means at Daimler. The purchase of land for the factory was completed, with construction to be started in the second half of the year. Farasis is a "set the cornerstone" in the existing ranks of the battery cell suppliers. The batteries for its EQ electric models builds Mercedes-Benz and the construction of a production network with its locations close to the major car factories.

the plans of The partners go far beyond the supply of battery cells: "in the Future, we will expand our activities in research and development, production, and purchasing in China," says Hubertus Troska, head of the Daimler Board of management the business in China. The core of the new partnership, the development and industrialization of highly developed cells, as well as "ambitious objectives in the cost item", as is stated in the message of Daimler. The level of participation in Farasis is more than just a financial commitment, the fact that Daimler will appoint a member of the Farasis-Supervisory Board, once the authorities have approved the business. The Position is to undertake the development of the Board of management, Manfred Schäfer.