In 2021, we’ve seen automakers really start to push their electrification efforts to the next level, but Mercedes has been hesitant to even commit to a full-scale electrification date. It has continued to push its electrification strategy, though, with cars like the EQB EV and the EQS flagship EV sedan, for example. More recently, Mercedes-AMG confirmed that it’s working on a Performance EV, which we assume will be a beefed up version of the EQS. A new report says that Mercedes is accelerating efforts in electrification, and that could mean the death of certain cars with internal combustion engines.
So Much for Mercedes Not Riding the EV Hype
Following the confirmation that AMG was working on a high-performance EV, Mercedes CEO, Ola Källenius, confirmed that the brand would transition somewhat slowly into electrification and would continue to produce fuel-powered cars until engines fade out of existence naturally. A few weeks later, Mercedes and AMG teased its electric future by showcasing the old Mercedes SLS Electric drive in a short video with the phrase “This is our legacy. Imagine our future. #areyouAMGready.”
In a report from German publication Manager Magazin, later picked up by Automotive News, Mercedes parent company Diamler is putting its foot down. According to the report, The Mercedes EVs that were originally planned for release in 2024 or 2025 will be moved forward a year, while their “fossil-fuel equivalents will be dropped from the lineup.”
A Daimler spokesperson declined to confirm or deny this report, but the original reporting outlet claimed this word came from “sources close to the matter.” It also states that Källenius, who is also the chaiman of the board of manage of Mercedes’ parent company Daimler AG, would like to make an announcement about these changes before the summer break of 2021 and hold a capital markets day.
What this leaves us with now is a lot of questions and not too many answers. We knew Mercedes would kill off some of its poorly performing coupes and convertibles, but this news sounds like even more could be killed off. Mercedes now has the EQB, EQC, and EQS, so can we assume that the GLB, GLC, and S-Class will be discontinued soon? An EQE is in the works, so that means the E-Class could soon be an EV-only affair, while an electric C-Class is expected by 2024, so that means even the C-Class as we know it is running out of time.
For now, we’re left with nothing but questions and speculation, so we’ll have to wait for an official announcement, but it looks like Mercedes may be diving into the EV pool a lot faster than previously expected, and we’re not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. Only time will tell, it seems.