Founded in 2009 as a joint venture with Evonik, Deutsche ACCUmotive manufactures battery packs for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, E-Class and S-Class hybrids, as well as the previous generation Smart electric vehicles, and has delivered 50,000 units to date.

Wholly-owned since April this year, the company will open a new building in Kamenz, Saxony mid next year, with the additional capacity expected to be soaked up by the Smart Fortwo and Forfour electric drive due in 2016, as well as stationary energy storage units for utility companies.

The new site brings the Kamenz site to 20,000 square metres, quadruple the production and logistics space available when it began manufacturing in 2011. However, despite Daimler selling its 4% stake in Tesla in October, there are no plans for Deutsche ACCUmotive to take over as the manufacturer of battery packs for the B-Class Electric Drive.

Speaking at the topping out ceremony, Saxony's Prime Minister Stanislaw Tillich, said: ‘The expansion of the company again shows that Saxony has much to offer as an innovation location. With excellent research close to industry at the technical universities, colleges and research facilities as well as with very well educated specialist manpower. These are the best prerequisites for investments here in Kamenz and in the entire free state of Saxony.’