Mercedes-Benz is aiming to take the lead in electric drive and car software with ambitious product development targets and the accelerated introduction of new technology. As part of its »Electric First« strategy, Mercedes-Benz has announced four all-new electric vehicles based on its upcoming large-car Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA). The EQS luxury sedan is the first representative of this new dedicated architecture and will reach the market in 2021 with an electric range of more than 700 km (WLTP). It will be followed by the EQE, the EQSSUV and the EQE-SUV. In addition, AMG, Maybach and G will go electric. From 2025, multiple further models will be added to the electric vehicles portfolio on the second all-new dedicated electric platform, the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) designed for compact and medium-sized cars.
Mercedes-Benz will shift even more of its product development resources and expertise to electric drive, and will invest in new technologies and concepts to accelerate electric range and efficiency. The next generation of eMotors are developed in house and will feature sophisticated inverter and high voltage technology. The company is making huge strides in battery technology - with in-house battery R&D complimented by close partnerships with key strategic partners CATL, Farasis and Sila Nano. New materials and production processes will increase range, reduce charging time and cost.
Mercedes-Benz also announced an exciting next step in electric vehicle development today, with the Vision EQXX technology program. The aim is to build an electric vehicle with spectacular efficiency and range. Mercedes-Benz has tasked its engineering group with pushing the boundaries of electric range and efficiency with a cross-functional, multidisciplinary team based in Stuttgart, supported by specialists from the Mercedes-Benz F1 HPP group in the UK, who bring expertise in eMotors plus motorsport-inspired development speed. While Vision EQXX is a technology program, it is expected to result in innovations that will quickly make their way into series production cars.
In the area of car software, Mercedes-Benz has announced its own proprietary MB.OS operating system. This will be developed in-house and is scheduled for launch in 2024. It will allow Mercedes-Benz to centralize the control of all the vehicles’ domains and also its consumer interfaces. Proprietary software development will allow greater speed and more frequent updates, and will be designed around scalable architectures that will control future development costs.