Mercedes-Benz To Bring New Vehicle To Alabama Plant

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The Mercedes-Benz Group is reaffirming its commitment to the U.S. market by introducing a new core segment vehicle to be made in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and targeted for release in 2027.

This move not only enhances the company's U.S. footprint but also reinforces Alabama's integral role within Mercedes-Benz's global production network.

Historically, the Tuscaloosa plant has been a significant hub, exporting around two-thirds of its annual output and contributing to the U.S. trade balance as one of the country's largest automobile exporters.

The Mercedes-Benz Group is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, and chose West Alabama for a production plant in 1995 that now employs just over 6,100 people.

Chairman Ola Källenius, in that top role since 2019,  noted that the Tuscaloosa facility has been pivotal for nearly 30 years, with over 4.5 million vehicles produced since the plant opened in 1997. Current models manufactured there include the GLE, GLS, and electric SUVs like the EQE and EQS.

With adding a new core segment vehicle, the strategy aligns with a local-for-local approach, catering directly to U.S. consumer preferences while enhancing customer proximity.

CEO Jason Hoff emphasized that this initiative strengthens Mercedes-Benz's ties to the North American market, further establishing the plant as the global export hub for the brand’s SUVs. The Tuscaloosa operation currently employs over 6,000 people, supporting an estimated 60,000 additional jobs through local suppliers and service providers.