Not too long ago, we posted a blog featuring Saturday Night Live’s “Mercedes AA-Class,” a skit that mockingly announced the debut of a Mercedes ran entirely by AA batteries. It was funny then but, Mercedes has some news for us:
An all electric Mercedes-Benz prototype is coming.
It took a few years, but Tesla has finally pushed Mercedes into the mainstream. With the recent excitement over Tesla’s new Model 3, there's no doubt that the traditional auto giants are now rushing to get their own electric vehicles to market. Next on the list: Mercedes-Benz. The German automaker's parent company, Daimler, has now promised that a prototype all-electric model will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October of 2017.
Thomas Weber, Daimler's Chief Development Officer, told reporters last week that the vehicle's "structure is ready, the teams are working and the initial results from road tests are coming in quick succession." Weber says that the Mercedes prototype will be capable of a range of 310 miles (500 kilometers), easily topping the 220-250 mile range of Tesla's Model X SUV.
At this time, no other details on the prototype have been offered, including when it might start arriving at dealerships, but Weber said the final production model would be released within this decade.
Weber later added that the company expects to sell over 100,000 electric cars per year, although it's not clear if that will include this upcoming Mercedes model. As for the near future, the fourth-generation of the electric Smart car will arrive in two- and four-seat versions before the end of 2017.
How do you think it will do in the market?