Daimler starts building electric car batteries in Tuscaloosa

Daimler on Friday said it will start building a battery plant as part of its planned $1 billion investment to upgrade its factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which has also started to produce a new sports utility vehicle, the GLE. The investment comes as the parent of Mercedes-Benz prepares to launch an electric sports utility vehicle, the EQ, as part of a broader assault on a sector currently dominated by Tesla. "We aim to play a pioneering role in the development of e-mobility and are well-prepared to accomplish this mission," said Daimler board member Markus Schaefer.