Mercedes-Benz has accelerated plans for a new range of electric vehicles.
The move follows the announcement of the long-awaited by the German government will begin offering subsidies on all EVS sales price of less than € 60,000 (£ 47,300) as part of the € 1.2 billion (£ 950 million) electric car purchase incentive scheme.
Plans have been set out by the Mercedes-Benz R & D boss Thomas Weber, and calls for four new electric models to join the Mercedes line-up at the end of 2020.
Two electric saloons and two SUVs are expected. Each is set to share the basic elements of the conventionally powered sibling, including the so-called hard points such as the windshield and roof structure. However, there will be a unique design touches to make them instantly recognizable as zeroemissions vehicle, according to an insider privy to the proposal for the four models.
The new electric car line-up aiming to throw a Mercedes in direct competition with Tesla Motors, which has caused a boost electric cars and has a solid level of sales growth since the Model S sedan executives began production in 2012. It also comes in response to the latest move by the key rival Audi, who have announced that they will begin offering the production version of the concept of e-tron quattro in 2018 in the first stage of an offensive kind of electric car.
A shroud of secrecy surrounds the weight of the model of the Mercedes-powered electricity, although the latest comments by Weber suggested saloons will be based around the C-Class and S-Class and the SUV will share a common link with GLA and GLC.
Mercedes has been intensively studying the idea of bringing an electric car that stands alone with a unique body engineered for showrooms. However, he said that the high cost of development, and production of components made obstructions in volume under 50,000 per year during the first generation, even for models highpriced. conclusion that is supported by Tesla's inability to turn a profit since the Model S, which currently has a base price of £ 51,900 in the UK, first went into production.
Model-based GLA is set to adopt a modified version of the MFA platform currently used under Mercedes' first dedicated electric car, the B-Class Electric Drive. C-Class, S-Class and GLC-based electric car will use a newly developed variant of the 'MRA (Modular Rear Architecture) platform Mercedes conceived specifically for EV applications and known in as MEA (Modular Electrical Architecture).
The first recipient of this new platform will be a Fuel Cell GLC, due next year. The new hydrogen-powered models, which will be offered to customers in both the limited lease or outright purchase scheme, described by Weber as the forerunner to Mercedes' new EV line-up. As well as the battery housing in the floor, features a version of the MEA platform to house the hydrogen tank.
One of the key elements of the MEA platform is its ability to offer both rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive in combination with up to three electric motors.
Although it is still early days, people in the center of R & D at Mercedes' Stuttgart confirmed the company is developing its own range of electric motors, ranging output of about 75kW (101bhp) to 400kW (536bhp).
A new generation of lithium-ion battery cells from Accumotive will provide Mercedes EVs with a range of more than 250 miles - the minimum prescribed by Weber to create new models of zero-emission practical alternative to their conventional gasoline, diesel and hybrid relatives.
In addition to a variety of its own electric car, Mercedes is currently putting the finishing touches to substitute sister company Smart Fortwo Electric Drive.
It is expected to make its debut this year, the new two-seater is set to be joined by fourseat Forfour Mover Electric comes with a battery that is slightly larger and more powerful electric motor - a move that would give the German automaker with six EVS by the turn of the decade.
Model Mercedes-powered electricity is expected to be produced on a special production line at the company's Rastatt, Bremen and Sindelfingen plant in Germany. Mercedes also announced a € 500 million (£ 394m) investment in the Hamburg plant in Germany, which will provide a new range of electric cars with the selected components.
Further investments are being poured into the production of batteries. In March, Mercedes parent company Daimler announced plans to invest € 500m in the expansion of existing battery production facility in Germany.
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