Mercedes-Benz To Double Down On Fully Electric Vehicles

By 2020, Mercedes-Benz plans to unveil a fully electric car that has a battery able to give it a range of at least 500km. The German automaker revealed this goal during its annual shareholder meeting in Berlin, according to AFP, by Daimler AG chairman Dr Dieter Zetsche.

The news does come as somewhat of a surprise since Mercedes-Benz has been rather quiet with its electric technology for a couple of years now, with the last stirring from that front being the fully electric version of their existing cars such as the B-Class and, more rousingly, the all-electric SLS AMG Electric Drive.

But it is unsurprising if one steps back and considers their options, quickly coming to the conclusion that this route seems to be their most obvious. And given their position as one of Europe’s eminent automakers, their commitment to battery-powered cars makes the technology’s future a little brighter.

Mercedes-Benz does offer many of its vehicles, particularly the larger ones, as hybrids. But Dr Zetsche said that the Daimler Group will offer 10 plug-in hybrid models on the market by 2017 and took the opportunity to underline its faith in diesel by reiterating its crucial role in the global reduction of CO2 emissions.

Speaking of diesels, the Volkswagen Group is also investing in an electrified future. Porsche, a brand that’s under Volkswagen, is developing a fully electric sports sedan called the Mission E that’s due for a 2018 release. One of the goals for that car also includes a similarly long range under battery power.

For Daimler, they are making inroads with their current crop of larger hybridised vehicles, and are leaning even more on electrically-assisted petrol engines with the full range of Smart city cars offered optionally as a plug-in hybrid.

Until the technology catches up enough to make larger EVs as, or nearly as, practical as their hybrid forerunners, fully electric versions of Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class or S-Class are well in the distance. But the announcement from Daimler’s chairman gives us a clearer timeline for when we can expect to see that materialise.