On November 13, Mercedes-Benz hosted the 12th China Sustainable Development Dialogue in Beijing, where it announced the latest progress on its "2039 Vision," along with the release of the "Mercedes-Benz Group China Sustainable Development Blue Book 2023-2024."

Renata Jungo Brüngger

Battery Recycling Becomes a New Focus

During the event, Mercedes announced a pilot project in collaboration with Jiangsu Huayi Energy Technology Co., Ltd. at Fujian Mercedes-Benz Automobile Co., Ltd., aimed at reusing retired batteries by transforming them into renewable energy storage systems to maximize their utility.

The pilot project features a 500 kWh energy storage system and eight smart charging piles, capable of storing electricity generated from solar power and during off-peak grid periods. Based on the conventional usage model of two charges and two discharges per day, the electricity supplied annually would enable a Mercedes-Benz all-electric EQS to travel approximately 1.6 million kilometers, equivalent to circling the equator about 40 times, while reducing carbon emissions by about 20.4 tons.

In Europe, Mercedes recently inaugurated the continent's first battery recycling plant utilizing integrated mechanical and hydrometallurgical processes, making it the world's first automaker to achieve closed-loop battery recycling through its own facilities.

“As electric vehicles gain traction in the market, manufacturers bear the important responsibility of proposing and implementing battery treatment and recycling solutions,” stated Renata Jungo Brüngger, a member of the Board of Directors of Mercedes-Benz Group AG responsible for integrity, legal affairs, and sustainability, in an interview with The Paper. “We are committed to achieving net carbon neutrality for our new passenger vehicle product portfolio across the entire value chain and vehicle lifecycle by 2039.”

Moreover, convincing the supply chain to collaborate is the core task for the next phase. Brüngger shared, “Since the beginning of 2023, Beijing and Fujian Mercedes have sent a 'Joint Vision Letter of Intent' to all suppliers, making the suppliers' commitment to carbon neutrality a prerequisite for collaboration. At the same time, we are exploring the application of low-carbon steel and low-carbon aluminum in production in collaboration with Chinese enterprises.”

Accelerating Electrification, Material Reuse as a New Path to Carbon Reduction

For automakers, the production of electric vehicles is also a way to contribute to carbon neutrality.

Starting in 2025, Mercedes will begin production of all-new models based on the MMA platform, including a new all-electric long-wheelbase CLA model customized for Chinese customers. The concept car of the CLA series achieves an outstanding energy efficiency performance of 12 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers, making it the “1-liter car” of the electric era. In June 2024, the groundbreaking for phase two of Fujian Mercedes will commence, marking the beginning of the VAN.EA platform models in Fuzhou.

At the same time, Mercedes is reducing carbon emissions by deploying reused materials in passenger cars. According to their plan, the proportion of reused materials is expected to rise to an average of 40% by 2030. To this end, the Chinese R&D team has been developing sustainable materials, such as bio-based materials made from discarded cooking oil and other biomass residues for use in air conditioning vents, which reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 62% compared to traditional plastics.

Additionally, in 2024, Beijing Mercedes will procure at least 300 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity. Currently, Beijing Mercedes boasts one of the largest photovoltaic projects within the Mercedes-Benz global production network, covering an area of 217,790 square meters with solar panels, equivalent to about 30 football fields. By early 2025, the solar power generation capacity in Beijing Mercedes is expected to expand to 90 megawatts, meeting up to 20% of its production power needs.

Under the philosophy of sustainable development, Mercedes has long adhered to the principle of “business responsibility combined with social duty” in China, making significant investments and efforts in various charitable initiatives.

Brüngger cited examples such as Mercedes partnering with authoritative organizations to ensure child traffic safety; collaborating with top universities to cultivate young leaders in sustainability; working with the Palace Museum and Dunhuang Research Academy to preserve traditional culture; and supporting the protection of 15 UNESCO World Heritage sites and four national parks in collaboration with UNESCO and other institutions.

Recently, there has been a slowdown in the electrification process in the European and American markets. In response, Brüngger stated: “The automotive industry must transform itself into a sustainable industry; only by focusing on sustainability in the long term can it maintain economic success. Although we are seeing some headwinds and fluctuations in global markets recently, with varying degrees of electrification progress in different regions, our task is to offer the most suitable product lineup to meet the diverse needs of our customers.”