How does Mercedes-Benz India maintain a balance between traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge automation in its manufacturing facilities?
Mercedes-Benz is known for its commitment to quality, it involves a delicate balance of traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge automation.
Factory 56 is Mercedes-Benz's state-of-the-art production facility located in Sindelfingen, Germany. It is a prime example of the brand's commitment to innovation, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing techniques. It is a showcase of digital innovation and integrates cutting-edge technologies such as IoT, AI, and robotics. This enables a highly flexible production process, allowing for quick adaptation to produce different models on the same assembly line.
On one hand, Mercedes-Benz is a pioneer in cutting-edge automation and on the other hand it incorporates a personal touch in craftsmanship through extensive training of its employees. Skilled artisans meticulously hand-stitch the leather and add exquisite details for Maybach Seats which offers handcrafted, bespoke seats, ensuring a level of luxury and comfort that surpasses regular production line standards. Such seats are often customisable to the buyer's preferences, allowing for a unique and personalised touch.
To take the experience to the next level, we have also added a personal touch to the most complex part i.e., AMG engines. Some models have their engines assembled by a single technician considered an "engine builder," who often adds a plaque or a signature to the engine they assembled. This not only adds a personal touch but also signifies a level of pride and responsibility, showcasing that a skilled individual was directly involved in crafting that specific engine.
These personal touches not only elevate the quality but also create a sense of exclusivity and craftsmanship which resonates with Mercedes-Benz's commitment to luxury, customisation, and attention to detail.
As the leader in luxury EV penetration in India, what strategies has Mercedes-Benz adopted to drive the adoption of electric vehicles in the luxury segment?
At Mercedes-Benz, we plan on going all-electric by 2030 and India is playing a significant role in the development of electric architecture. To drive the adoption of EVs in the luxury segment we are focusing on multiple fronts like introducing new EV products in the Indian market, creating an end-toend ecosystem to support the market development for luxury EVs and upskilling initiatives for our talent pool, among others. Today, our portfolio has the topof-the-line AMG EQS 53, the ‘Made in India' EQS 580, the power EQE 500 4MATIC SUV and the seven-seater EQB 350.
We are proud that we are the first luxury car manufacturer to pioneer the manufacturing of ‘Luxury EVs in India'.
While our product lineup reflects our commitment to electrification, we recognise the importance of a robust charging infrastructure and have established an extensive ultra-fast charging network of over 140 chargers.
Recently, we collaborated with Evnnovator, onboarding the charging infrastructure of our Franchise Partners across India, on their FICH application. This ensures seamless access to our pan-India fast charging solutions for our customers as well as all EV users. To skill future workforce, we introduced an industryfocused unique EV module in our highly popular Advanced Diploma in Automotive Mechatronics (ADAM) course to make the talent pool industry-ready and create a robust e-mobility ecosystem. Based on our EV strategy, we anticipate that within the following three years, 25 per cent of our total car sales will be from EVs.
Could you shed light on the challenges and opportunities Mercedes-Benz has encountered while establishing a strong presence in the luxury EV market in India?
We wouldn't consider this as a challenge, but customer awareness is an area that we all as an industry have to collectively work on. In October, we conducted a Sustainability Fest where we met customers across multiple cities to create awareness and dispel their myths about the practical implications of EVs. We also ran multiple programmes pan India for awareness creation and rolled out strategic offerings to ease the transition to e-mobility.
To lead the change, our management and company carpool now hosts a 100 per cent EV fleet since September, and it is with great pride that I can say that this is a very satisfying and successful change.
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