Mercedes-Benz expects its biggest-ever product offensive to accelerate electric vehicle demand in India. Ola Källenius, chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, is backing new models such as the CLA and GLC to drive the next phase of growth.
“We’re in the middle of this historic 40 models in three years,” Källenius told Autocar Professional. “I can see that the electric side is going to start taking off in a bigger way now.”
He was speaking ahead of the new GLC EV launch in Pune, during a Mercedes-Benz board visit marking 30 years of its research and development operations in India.
The 40-model programme covers electric and combustion vehicles. Within that rollout, the CLA and GLC will expand the company’s electric offering across core luxury segments.
“So if you want to go electric, the choice will be yours, from top to bottom in our portfolio,” Källenius said.
As previously reported by Autocar Professional, the CLA marks the start of a broader electric rollout, with the GLC EV and C-Class EV among the models identified for expansion. These products will give buyers electric alternatives in established Mercedes-Benz segments, widening the potential customer base.
Mercedes-Benz India managing director and CEO Santosh Iyer has indicated that EVs could account for 25–30 percent of the company’s Indian sales if adequate supplies were available. His assessment points to demand that could support a higher electric sales mix as vehicle availability improves.
The new products also bring advances in charging and vehicle software. The CLA’s architecture combines an 800-volt electrical system with Mercedes-Benz’s MB.OS software, providing a foundation for the company’s next generation of electric vehicles.
Alongside the vehicles, Mercedes-Benz is working to make public charging easier to use.
Its MB.CHARGE Public service allows customers to locate chargers, authenticate charging sessions and pay through the vehicle’s head unit or the Mercedes-Benz app. Bringing different charging operators into one interface reduces the need for separate applications, accounts and prepayments.
For buyers considering an EV for longer journeys, that convenience supports the appeal of a wider model range. The ownership experience depends on being able to find and use suitable charging infrastructure, as well as on the car’s capabilities.
Källenius reaffirmed that zero-emission mobility remained the company’s long-term direction while recognising that adoption would vary across the roughly 150 markets in which Mercedes-Benz sells vehicles.
“From our point of view, there’s no question that the destination is zero emission. But it’s not a straight line,” he said.
Those differences would also exist within individual countries.
“Not every single part of India is going to have the same speed in terms of electrification.”
Mercedes-Benz will retain electrified combustion options while meaningful demand exists, alongside its expanding electric range.
India also contributes to the engineering behind the product expansion. Källenius said Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India’s capabilities span powertrains, electrical systems and software, with its teams fully integrated into the company’s global development network.
“I cannot see any Mercedes being developed without India being involved in it,” he said.