LONDON: Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler plans to invest more than 40 billion euros ($47 billion) by 2030 to be ready to take on Tesla in an all-electric car market, but warned the shift in technology would lead to job cuts.
Outlining its strategy for an electric future, the inventor of the modern motor car said on Thursday it would, with partners, build eight battery plants as it ramps up electric vehicle (EV) production.
From 2025, all new vehicle platforms will only make EVs, the German luxury automaker added.
"We really want to go for it ... and be dominantly, if not all electric, by the end of the decade," Chief Executive Ola Källenius told Reuters, adding that spending on traditional combustion-engine technology would be "close to zero" by 2025.
However, Daimler - to be renamed Mercedes-Benz as part of plans to spin off its trucks division later this year - stopped short of giving a hard deadline for ending sales of fossil-fuel cars.
Some carmakers like Geely-owned Volvo Cars have committed to going all electric by 2030, while General Motors Co says it aspires to be fully electric by 2035, as they all try to close the gap to industry leader Tesla.
"We need to move the debate away from when you build the last combustion engine because it's not relevant," Källenius said. "The question is how quickly can you scale up to being close to 100% electric and that's what we're focusing on."
Daimler shares rose as much as 2.5% after the news, which comes just over a week after the European Union proposed an effective ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 as part of a broad package of measures to combat global warming.
Ahead of the EU's announcement, carmakers had announced a series of major investments in EVs. Earlier this month, Stellantis said it would invest more than 30 billion euros by 2025 on electrifying its line-up.
TOUGH DECISIONS
At Mercedes-Benz, the shift will see an 80% drop in investments into combustion engines and plug-in hybrid technologies between 2019 and 2026, which the group said would have a direct impact on jobs.
EVs have fewer components and so require fewer workers than combustion engine vehicles.
"A transformation of our workforce will involve tough decisions. Yes, overall we must and will reduce our personal costs," Mercedes-Benz management board member and head of human resources Sabine Kohleisen said.
Daimler said that as of 2025, it expects electric and hybrid electric cars will make up 50% of sales - with all-electric cars expected to account for most of that - earlier than its previous forecast that this would happen by 2030.
The carmaker will unveil three electric platforms - one to cover its range of passenger cars and SUVs, one for vans and one for high-performance vehicles - that will be launched in 2025.
Daimler is also acquiring British firm YASA Limited to help develop high-performance electric motors.
The company said it would build out 200 gigawatt hours (GWh) of battery cell capacity. Four of its new battery plants will be in Europe and one in the United States.
Daimler said it would announce new European partners for its battery production plans soon.
The EU has been pushing hard to build out battery capacity to counter China's dominance of battery production.
Rival Volkswagen AG plans to build half a dozen battery cell plants in Europe.
Daimler said that as part of its electrification strategy it would build a battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim, Germany, which would start operations in 2023. ($1 = 0.8481 euros)
Reuters
Thu Jul 22 2021
A battery cell is installed at a Mercedes-Benz EQC electric car in a production line at a plant in Bremen, Germany, January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/File Photo
Polis kesan remaja lelaki hilang sejak enam hari lepas
Polis sedang berusaha mengesan seorang remaja lelaki yang dilaporkan hilang oleh keluarganya di Kuala Pilah sejak enam hari lepas.
[TERKINI] Sidang media khas FAM
FAM adakan satu sidang media khas petang nanti, difahamkan berkaitan rombakan. Kepimpinan tertinggi FAM atau barisan kejurulatihan skuad Harimau Malaya?
Penampilan pertama Trump di konvensyen GOP selepas terselamat cubaan bunuh
Donald Trump menghadiri Konvensyen Kebangsaan Republikan pada malam Isnin, penampilan umum pertamanya sejak terselamat daripada cubaan bunuh.
Malaysia pantau perkembangan insiden tembakan di Masjid Muscat
Wisma Putra melalui Kedutaan Besar Malaysia di Muscat, Oman sedang giat menyelaras usaha dengan pihak berkuasa tempatan untuk mendapatkan maklumat lanjut.
Ini antara pencapaian Pan-gon bersama Harimau Malaya
Kim Pan-gon memiliki rekod yang cukup baik bersama Malaysia, menjadi pengendali Harimau Malaya paling banyak mendapatkan keputusan yang positif sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini.
Kementerian Komunikasi umum Pakej Rahmah Prabayar Siswa
Kementerian Komunikasi hari ini mengumumkan Pakej Rahmah Prabayar Siswa pada harga tidak melebihi RM30.
Messi harap cepat pulih daripada kecederaan
Kapten Argentina, Lionel Messi berharap agar beliau cepat pulih daripada kecederaan buku lali yang dialaminya perlawanan akhir Copa America.
MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid
MARA diminta untuk terus meneroka potensi antarabangsa dalam industri halal yang mempunyai prospek besar menerusi program Gate to Global (GTG).
Saya akan rindu bau durian - Kim Pan-gon
Menurut Kim Pan-gon, beliau akan tetap bangga dengan pasukan bola sepak Malaysia walaupun dimana beliau berada.
Katanya beliau akan merindui bau durian dan langit Malaysia. #AWANInews
Katanya beliau akan merindui bau durian dan langit Malaysia. #AWANInews
Kim Pan-gon letak jawatan berikutan komitmen peribadi
Pengurus pasukan kebangsaan Malaysia, Kim Pan-gon menyatakan perletakan jawatan tersebut kerana komitmen peribadi.
#AWANInews
#AWANInews
Bos Mercedes-Benz gesa EU turunkan tarif kenderaan elektrik China
Tarif terhadap kereta elektrik yang diimport dari China harus diturunkan di tengah-tengah siasatan Suruhanjaya Eropah (EC) terhadap import kereta elektrik dari China.
'Ada perkara yang kita tak mampu boikot' - Ahmad Fadhli
Semalam, Zhemin mempersoalkan Kerajaan Kelantan yang masih menggunakan kereta mewah, Mercedes Benz yang turut menyumbang kepada ekonomi Israel.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia perkenal SUV EV baharu dengan 7 tempat duduk
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn Bhd melancarkan varian kenderaan utiliti sukan (SUV) mewah elektrik dengan tujuh tempat duduk terbaharu, EQS 580 4MATIC.
Pemandu Mercedes Benz berdepan denda RM1 juta seludup minyak petrol
Pemandu Mercedes Benz itu akan berulang-ulang setiap hari dengan membawa dan menjual bahan api kawalan itu ke negara jiran.
7 pembuat kereta di Korea Selatan panggil balik 326,723 kenderaan
Tujuh pembuat kereta tempatan dan asing di Korea Selatan secara sukarela menarik balik 326,723 kenderaan ekoran kecacatan pembuatan, menurut Kementerian Pengangkutan pada Rabu.
2 maut dalam insiden tembakan di kilang Mercedes-Benz
Menurut jurucakap pejabat pendakwa raya Stuttgart, suspek berusia 53 tahun berjaya ditahan susulan kejadian di Sindelfingen.
Cycle & Carriage Bintang dinyahsenarai daripada Bursa Malaysia hari ini
Pengedar jenama Mercedes-Benz, Cycle & Carriage Bintang Berhad (CCB) dinyahsenarai daripada Bursa Malaysia berkuat kuasa hari ini.
Firma Singapura Jardine CCL tingkatkan ekuiti 91% dalam Cycle & Carriage Bintang
Jardine CCL membuat tawaran terkini pada harga RM2.70 sesaham.
Ahli perniagaan ditahan menyamar Datuk
Wanita berkenaan mempamerkan lambang dan lencana Ahli Majlis Dato'-Dato' Negeri Kelantan pada dua buah kereta mewah dipercayai miliknya.
Masalah brek: Mercedes panggil balik hampir sejuta kenderaan
Syarikat itu berkata pemilik kenderaan akan dihubungi berikutan masalah yang disifatkan sebagai "hakisan teruk".