Mercedes-Benz to launch 10 EVs by 2023

Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and SUVs will undergo radical upheaval over the next four years, the Head of Strategy at Daimler and Mercedes-Benz Cars has told journalists from around the world overnight.

Wilko Stark revealed just prior to the unveiling of the new Mercedes-Benz EQC that between now and the end of 2022, the company will field 10 EQ (battery-electric) counterparts for conventional model lines, complemented by plug-in hybrids and 48-Volt (mild-hybrid) passenger cars like the latest C-Class.

“With this [EQC], just our first vehicle, we are going to launch 10 pure battery/electric vehicles until the end of 2022, and we are covering the whole portfolio – from smart up to big SUV and big sedan,” Stark said.

The Benz spokesman subsequently elaborated on his comments.

“We will electrify the whole portfolio of Mercedes-Benz; the 48 voltage will be the basis [for that]. We will have a plug-in in every car [model line] and we will have on top [of that] – including smart – 10... pure battery/electric vehicles by the end of 2022.

The remaining combustion-engined models will migrate to 48-volt systems, Stark confirmed, and this migration will essentially spell the end for conventional 12-volt passenger cars and SUVs by 2023. And all the new alt-energy models will be on sale before the end of 2022.

Daimler AG Chairman Dr Dieter Zetsche (pictured with EQC) subsequently told journalists gathered for the electric SUV's debut that the company will have more news on the electrification front from next week.

Stark's revelation capped off a dramatic day, beginning with one Benz executive refusing to admit to a journalist that the company was working on an EQ variant for the S-Class range.

At intervals later in the day other execs made mention of an EQ range that would extend from smart fortwo EQ right through to “a large SUV” – which would be basically an electric GLS.

Head of Group Research & Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, Ola Källenius, provided some added context for the scale of investment in an electrified future, during his presentation to the media earlier in the day.

“We do want to play a leading role in ushering in this new era of electric mobility, and have dedicated over the next [few] years an investment volume of about 10 billion Euro for a whole family of electric vehicles under the EQ brand name.”