Mercedes says electric vehicles are “technically superior” to electric combustion cars

In the next three years, the company will reduce ICE investments by around 80 percent.

The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class debuted yesterday with carryover engines from its predecessor, but overall, that’s not a path the automaker will be following in the coming years. Instead, Mercedes will focus on electric vehicles, as it considers them “technically superior” to combustion engines, even if they run on electronic fuels. The company’s CEO, Ola Kalleniues, recently told a German newspaper that Mercedes will favor electric vehicles over vehicles with combustion engines.

“The electric car is still a young technology compared to the combustion engine,” said Kallenius Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitungquoted by Automotive news. “We still see great potential for progress: electric propulsion will surpass the internal combustion engine in terms of performance before the end of this decade.”

Gallery: 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Although Mercedes will continue to sell combustion cars in the coming years, it will focus mainly on developing more efficient and green electric machines. The brand’s CEO said Mercedes will develop electric-only vehicle architectures and adapt them to fit ICEs when the case makes a business case. In short, the company wants to achieve CO2 neutrality in terms of balance sheet by 2039.

Generally speaking, Mercedes intends to continue making internal combustion engines more efficient and comply with the new Euro 7 emissions standards. However, by the middle of the decade, the brand will have reduced ICE investments to a 80 percent compared to today. China will likely remain the last key market where combustion engines will be available, but they will only be sold as plug-in hybrids developed together with Geely’s local partners.

The switch to electric power does not mean that Mercedes will change its positioning in the market. Kallenius reiterated that the company will focus on the high-end market, but will also offer its customers entry-level luxury cars. “The new technology we are developing for our luxury models to ensure ecological sustainability will also be used in other cars at some point in the future,” explained Kallenius.

Note: The new 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class is shown in the gallery.