Mercedes unveils EV with longer range than any Tesla as China threat grows

Mercedes-Benz Group AG unveiled an electric car with more range than any Tesla Inc. model on the market, as the German luxury automaker stepped up its efforts. In order to challenge the strength of Elon Musk (Elon Musk).

The company unveiled a near-production concept of its CLA sedan, which can travel more than 750 kilometers (466 miles) on a single charge, beating Tesla The updated Model 3. The car is the first from Mercedes to build on the foundations of its upcoming electric car, and its battery system can add 400 kilometers of range from a charge of just 15 minutes.

“We’re taking it to the next level,” Mercedes Chief Technology Officer Markus Schäfer said in an interview on Sunday ahead of the IAA motor show in Munich. “This car is extremely important for innovative reasons and to push the limits of our range of cars.”

Mercedes is under pressure to bolster its lineup after disappointing sales in China forced the automaker to lower prices on some electric models.

BMW Saturday unveiled Its own next-gen EV is a sleek coupe with a digital display projected across the full width of the windshield. BMW’s prototype and Mercedes’ future electric car are both due to enter production by mid-2000s.

Mercedes is trying to fend off Tesla and boost sales in China, where consumers are increasingly opting for local brands such as BYD Co and NIO, which are better at building electric vehicles with software tailored to local tastes. car. The company aims to sell only electric vehicles as much as possible by the end of the decade and plans to build eight battery factories with partners.

The CLA concept lacks the arched roofline of the brand’s EQS and EQE sedans. While the low roof makes it more aerodynamic and increases driving range, the design also reduces rear cabin headroom. This is a shortcoming of the Chinese market, as wealthy customers generally prefer to have a driver.

Chief Executive Ola Källenius has laid out a strategy to boost profits by focusing resources on high-end vehicles, including the Maybach luxury sedan, AMG performance cars and the G-Wagon SUV, while ditching less profitable Entry-level models such as the compact A-segment.

The new CLA concept spells out how the manufacturer will try to defend its position in the entry-level luxury segment, where Mercedes is trying to appeal to younger customers and compete with volume makers such as Volkswagen AG and Toyota Motor Corp.

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