VANCE, Alabama – As Mercedes-Benz U.S. International continues to expand its $6 billion Alabama auto assembly operation, the company is also investing in schools and training programs across the state, including those in rural counties.
In turn, the schools and training programs are helping to fill the automaker’s worker pipeline, a crucial part of its strategy to begin producing electric vehicles — and the batteries that power them — in Alabama next year.
Mercedes recently announced the donation of 15 of its luxury SUVs, with a combined value of more than $700,000, to support workforce training.
Most of the GLE SUVs, all produced at the Tuscaloosa County plant, were previously used as test vehicles and cannot be sold or driven on public roads. But they can be used as classroom tools.
