Mercedes may create eco sub-brand to rival BMW i

Ola Kallenius, member of Board of Management of Daimler AG (Marketing & Sales) believes Mercedes could consider creating an eco-focused sub-brand to rival the likes of BMW’s i division. However, Kallenius wants the company to first continue to focus on expanding its fleet of plug-in hybrid and zero emissions models.

“What we’re going to do in terms of the road to zero emissions is invest heavily in alternative drivelines and electrification. That’s a very wide strategy, but it means that by the end of next year we will have 10 plug-in hybrid models, which, I think, is the widest portfolio of any luxury manufacturer,” said Kallenius.

“By the end of this year, we will have three electric cars, with the B-Class and the two Smarts. And at the end of next year, we will launch a next-generation fuel cell vehicle, which is a zero-emissions vehicle based on the GLC platform. We could choose for the purpose-made electric vehicles to create some sort of sub-brand but, right now, Mercedes is focused on investing tremendous resources into the path towards zero emissions. It’s something that will affect the whole portfolio,” he added.

At the Tokyo Motor Show in October last year, Mercedes provided a glimpse of its design ideas, zero-emission driveline, and holographic multi-media technology by showcasing the Vision Tokyo concept car. The German carmaker had said that the new five-seater "shows how the car of the future can be turned into a hip living space in the midst of megacity traffic mayhem.” 

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