Mercedes Ends PHEV Development To Focus On EVs
Sep 10, 2021 at 7:52am ET
By: Angel Sergeev
Starting from 2025, Mercedes-Benz will begin introducing only electric vehicle platforms in an attempt to accelerate its shift towards a completely zero-emission model range by the end of the decade. Obviously, this would require some sacrifices, and the traditional sedans and wagons could be the first victims of the transformation process. While their future seems uncertain, one thing is absolutely certain – Mercedes is done with the plug-in hybrids.
During the ongoing IAA Mobility in Munich, Daimler executives confirmed the manufacturer won’t develop new plug-in hybrid powertrains in the future. The existing ones – including the system in the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance 4-Door Coupe – will continue to be used in existing and upcoming products, but no money will be invested in next-generation PHEV systems.
Gallery: Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance
“No further new developments are planned,” Markus Schäfer, Daimler board member responsible for research and development, told Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper in Munich. “The investments have been made, to that extent, we are using them.”
For many automakers, including Mercedes, the plug-in hybrid technology was deemed transitional until the battery technology reached a certain point of development. In September 2019, Mercedes also announced it is halting the development of new gasoline engines, and in 2020, it became clear that the company will retire the manual gearbox.
In July this year, it was announced that from 2030, the Mercedes-Benz range will include only electric cars for the markets in Europe, North America, and Japan, while in other regions, conventionally powered models will still be available.
If we try to read between the lines, this new announcement probably means that the recently unveiled hybridized AMG GT 63 S E could remain a very rare breed, as the AMG performance division is likely to focus on fully electric vehicles in the near future instead of hybrids.
