2003 Mercedes Benz Sl500 Sport Convertible From Florida! Absolutely Beautiful! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Daimler: 2017 the right time to launch our hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle

Zero-emissions vehicle development has never focused purely on off-the-line acceleration. So when a research executive with Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler says it's Okay that companies like Toyota and Hyundai will have a head start selling hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, it's somewhat believable. But is Daimler really fine with being two years behind? It appears so. Daimler plans on debuting its first fuel-cell vehicle in 2017, Automotive News says, citing an interview Automobilwoche had with Daimler's corporate research chief Herbert Kohler. The German automaker estimated about a decade ago that it would be able to get fuel-cell production costs down to an "acceptable" level in 2012, but it turns out that estimate was about five years too aggressive. Daimler originally started leasing out a limited number of its F-Cell hydrogen vehicles in the US for $849 a month, though later brought that down to $599 a month. Daimler says it received a boost in its effort to accelerate fuel-cell powertrain development when it reached an agreement early last year with Nissan and Ford to work together on speeding up relevant powertrain technology. While Toyota's first fuel-cell vehicle in Japan is priced at almost $70,000 (before big government incentives kick in), Kohler says Daimler's first fuel-cell vehicle will be priced similar to a hybrid vehicle. Of course, that's a Mercedes-Benz hybrid we're talking about here, but still. Related Gallery Mercedes-Benz F-Cell View 9 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req. Green Mercedes-Benz Hydrogen Cars h2

BMW expects China to pass US as its top market in 2013

When you combine two billion citizens, 100 cities with more than a million inhabitants and an economy that's as unrestrained as Jim Cramer on an Adderall binge, China's explosive auto industry growth shouldn't be a huge surprise. Audi already lists the communist country as its largest market, while Mercedes-Benz is expecting it to be there in the next few years. Now, according to a report from Automotive News, BMW is expecting the People's Republic to overtake the United States in sales by the end of 2013.
We already discovered the extent that BMW is going to in establishing a dedicated Chinese stronghold, when we explored BMW's Shanghai-based DesignWorks studio ahead of April's Shanghai Motor Show. And while we argued that DesignWorks Shanghai hasn't really borne fruit, it isn't due to a lack of sales.
BMW China has seen a 16-percent jump in year-over-year sales, lead by a 28-percent gain in 5 Series sales. Part of BMW's growth strategy comes from an ever-expanding dealership network. Remember those 100 cities we mentioned with over one million people? According to Karsten Engel, CEO of BMW's Chinese operations, those 100-million-plus city dwellers don't have access to a premium dealership.

If you're a Daimler exec, you'll soon have to drive an EV

Luckily, for Daimler's "senior level" managers, the company has a lot of plug-in vehicle options. Lucky because "in the future," these managers will have to drive the company's electrified vehicles. This most likely means a plug-in hybrid – something like the C 350 e or the GLE 500 e 4MATIC – but it could also be the all-electric and peppy Smart ED or the B-Class EV. Board member Ola Kallenius said in a statement (available below) that this new policy, "We are continuing on the path of zero-emission driving with consistency. This is why we are making electric mobility an integral part of the everyday lives of our top management to set an example and to provide a clear role model." It's a big change from five years ago, when Daimler's director of fuel cell and battery drive development, Christian Mohrdieck, was willing to talk up the drawbacks EVs face. Even a year ago, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche explained the financial hardships involved in making EVs. But, EV technology continues to change, and so, perhaps, do the attitudes inside Daimler. As EV advocate Chelsea Sexton said on Facebook regarding this new policy, "This should be standard procedure in any automaker seeking a leadership role in the plug-in vehicle movement. Commitment starts at the top." Related Video: Electric Mobility: Daimler Management leads by example Daimler is once again setting a new milestone on the road to zero-emission driving: In the future managers will drive electrified company cars. Furthermore, Daimler is this year set to invest a further 30 million euros into extending the company's own charging infrastructure across many of its sites. This will also benefit employees, who have access to a growing range of vehicles with alternative drive systems. Stuttgart. It represents a further commitment from Daimler to an electric future for mobility: "We are continuing on the path of zero-emission driving with consistency", states Ola Kallenius, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing, about the importance of the current initiative. "This is why we are making electric mobility an integral part of the everyday lives of our top management to set an example and to provide a clear role model." The agreement applies to the company's senior levels of management and focuses on plug-in hybrids.