New Mercedes CLA Built with AI and Solar Power: Inside Mercedes’ High-Tech Factory
The Mercedes-Benz CLA is not just another electric vehicle. It represents a bold move into the future of automotive manufacturing. Production has officially kicked off at the Rastatt plant in Germany, and this launch is more than a milestone—it is a transformation. Mercedes-Benz is combining artificial intelligence, digital twins, and for the first time, its own proprietary Mercedes-Benz Operating System into the MO360 digital production system. This is a full commitment to a “Digital First” strategy that is setting a new benchmark in the industry.
Rastatt plays a central role, but it is not acting alone. The Stuttgart-Untertürkheim plant provides the electric drive units and axles, while structural parts come from Kuppenheim. Batteries are built in Kamenz, and these are all brought together at Rastatt where the new electric CLA rolls off the line. The company has invested a mid triple-digit million euro figure in this shift. The CLA will also be produced in China through the Beijing Benz Automotive Company, and the Kecskemét facility in Hungary will build other models from the same vehicle family.
According to Chairman Ola Källenius, this new CLA is Mercedes-Benz’s gateway into a new era of premium electric mobility. The production ramp-up at Rastatt was no small feat. The team transformed an entire assembly hall in record time, using digital simulations to map out and optimize the new production layout. This allowed the facility to move faster and more efficiently than ever before, building hybrid, electric, and traditional cars on the same line.
The real innovation lies in how Mercedes-Benz is building the CLA. With the Mercedes-Benz Operating System, software is delivered from a central server rather than individual modules. That reduces complexity and paves the way for smoother updates and smarter vehicles. Artificial intelligence has even found its way into the paint shop, cutting energy use by 20 percent and speeding up ramp-up times.
Sustainability is deeply embedded in the CLA project. The Rastatt plant is powered by 100 percent renewable energy, including up to 8 megawatt peak from solar panels. New robots, smart lighting, and improved ventilation help reduce energy consumption by over 15 gigawatt hours each year. The company is also partnering with CMBlu Energy to build a pioneering organic solid-flow battery storage system.
The entire process is circular, too. Steel and aluminum scrap from CLA production is recycled at the nearby Kuppenheim plant. Finished vehicles are even transported to Zeebrugge in electric trucks. A new International Consolidation Centre in Bischweier has started operations, strengthening the logistics chain.
In Kamenz, the batteries are produced by Mercedes-Benz’s subsidiary Accumotive, which has been building battery systems for more than a decade. Meanwhile, the Untertürkheim plant, which recently celebrated its 120th anniversary, handles the electric drive systems. These components are precision-built, tested, and shipped across three continents.
With over 6,000 employees, the Rastatt plant continues to be a symbol of innovation and regional pride. Models like the A-Class, B-Class, GLA, and EQA are already built there, and now the new CLA adds another future-forward product to the mix. This is more than manufacturing—it is a signal of what is next.
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