Mercedes-Benz has unveiled new “near-to-production” concept vehicles that could outperform Tesla cars by traveling more than 466 miles on a single charge. By comparison, every Tesla model has a range of less than 600 kilometers.
The Concept CLA Class, presented on Sunday at the IAA Mobility motor show in Munich, includes four new models: a sedan, a station wagon and two SUVs. The company did not say when production will begin.
The vehicles will have a range of more than 750 kilometers (466 miles), compared to Tesla’s (TSLA) Model 3 and Model S, which have the brand’s longest range and can travel just under 375 miles on a single charge.
Meanwhile, BMW made a splash at the show by introducing a new electric vehicle with longer range and faster charging, demonstrating German automakers’ efforts to combat growing competition from electric vehicles.
Big European carmakers such as Volkswagen and Renault are already being pressured by Chinese rivals on cheaper electric vehicles, while Tesla has committed to building Europe’s largest vehicle plant in Berlin.
BMW’s Vision Neue Klasse vehicle, which is still in concept form, uses newly designed battery cells that can store almost 20% more energy than the company’s previous models. According to the company, charging speed and range are expected to improve by up to 30% compared to previous versions.
“With Neue Klasse, we have embarked on the largest investment in the company’s history,” BMW board member Frank Weber said in a statement.
The new vehicle will be available in 2025.
According to CEO Ola Källenius, the Concept CLA Class is supposed to represent “an all-electric segment of entry-level vehicles from Mercedes-Benz,” which will attract more buyers.
The new vehicles, he says, “could easily get you from Munich to Hamburg on a single charge.”
Increasing range can help the traditional manufacturer attract more customers, as range anxiety is often considered an important factor in buyers’ decisions about purchasing an electric vehicle.
While talking about Mercedes’ G-class, a line of SUVs, Källenius hinted at another imminent vehicle, saying, “The little G will be electric.” The new car could compete with Tesla’s Model Y, another compact SUV.
Analysts at UBS said in research on Thursday that they had glimpsed Mercedes’ latest models and were “very calm” about the company’s development over the next two to three years.
Another encouraging indicator was that the company’s management expressed confidence that the new electric vehicles would “achieve the same profitability” as their gasoline equivalents, according to analysts.
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Categories: Technology
Source: vtt.edu.vn