In an interview with a German newspaper, Ola Kallenius, Mercedes CEO, introduced that Mercedes will improve its funding in combustion engines to incorporate 14 billion euros ($15 billion) this yr on its passenger automobiles.
Gross sales of Mercedes electrical fashions are properly beneath expectations: solely 222,600 electrical fashions out of a complete of two,043,800 items in 2023, or about 11%. This proportion is properly beneath the goal of fifty% of gross sales to be electrical by 2025.
Because the financial local weather and new laws have led to a decline in electrical automotive gross sales, Mercedes revised its technique earlier this yr and scrapped its plan to promote solely electrical automobiles from 2030.So, Mercedes will proceed to develop each electrical and combustion-engined fashions in parallel.
“Our engines will all the time be on the very highest technological stage. In any other case, we might immediately stall our combustion engine enterprise in 2027/28,” Mercedes-Benz chief govt mentioned. Kallenius mentioned all “related combustion engines and transmission combos” will adjust to new laws comparable to EU7 or China 7 to make sure the engines are all the time on the highest technological stage.
On the similar time, Kallenius mentioned that Mercedes just isn’t giving up on plans to put money into electrical fashions and that they’re solely delayed. “Solely later than beforehand deliberate,” the Mercedes boss mentioned. Mercedes estimates it wants eight gigafactories with an put in capability of 200 GWh. However Mercedes lately introduced the postponement of its funding within the building of two battery vegetation in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and Termoli, Italy, after shopping for a 1/3 stake in Automotive Cells Firm (ACC), partnering with Stellantis and TotalEnergies.
Mercedes initially began with the “Electrical First” technique, later reworked into “Electrical Solely”. Kallenius publicizes that Mercedes needs to promote from 2030 solely electrical fashions, the place market situations will permit.
Nonetheless, information has lately emerged that Mercedes has deserted the MB.EA Massive platform for the upcoming EQS EQS, which was attributable to seem in 2028. The long run EQS will use the present EVA II platform with 400V expertise, which can convert to 800V.Kallenius mentioned that the information in regards to the scrapping of the upcoming electrical S-Class is fake however didn’t give extra particulars. Nonetheless, the press didn’t say that Mercedes has given up on the longer term EQS however that it has opted for a modernized present platform as a substitute of a totally new structure to chop prices.
Mercedes now estimates that in 2030, it would promote 50% electrical fashions and 50 % fashions with thermal engines with a excessive diploma of hybridization. This pattern is evident, with all new Mercedes fashions, together with the brand new E-Class having a number of PHEV variations.As for the Mercedes S-Class, the world’s best-selling luxurious limousine will bear a facelift in mid-2026, when the thermal engines and PHEV variations may also be improved.
On the similar time, Mercedes will proceed investing within the new MB.EA Medium electrical platform, on which the Mercedes C-Class EV will debut in 2026 and the Mercedes GLC EV in 2027. Mercedes is pinning its hopes on these two fashions that may function in a vital market section the place Tesla has offered over a million Mannequin Y items yearly.
