Climate Changed
Mercedes Hastens Electric-Car Shift as Combustion Era Fades
- Carmaker to roll out 10 electric models three years sooner
- Daimler braces for auto industry’s ‘profound transformation’
QuickTake: The Drive Towards Cleaner Cars
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Mercedes-Benz is accelerating its rollout of battery-powered autos in a race to meet tighter emissions rules as European buyers turn away from fuel-efficient diesel cars.
In a 10 billion-euro ($10.8 billion) project, the world’s largest luxury-car maker intends to release 10 new electric vehicles by 2022, three years earlier than a target announced at the Paris auto show in September. The expedited time frame reflects the urgency facing manufacturers as they brace for a shift away from traditional automotive technologies. Combustion engines would continue to be refined for a “transitional period,” Mercedes parent Daimler AG said on Wednesday.