Mercedes-Benz CEO Kang Songlin: The production cost of electric vehicles may continue to be higher than that of internal combustion engines

According to news on September 4, Kang Songlin, CEO of the Mercedes-Benz (formerly known as Daimler) Group, gave a speech on Sunday and pointed out that the variable cost of electric vehicle production in the future will continue to be higher than that of traditional internal combustion engines. models, which may further intensify fierce competition within the industry.

Kang Songlin said at the International Auto Show (IAA) in Munich: "The production variable costs of electric vehicles are higher and this situation will not change in the foreseeable future." He also added , manufacturers cannot simply pass on the additional costs to consumers, so they need to explore other ways to deal with this challenge.

# According to the editor’s understanding, factors affecting the production cost of electric vehicles include battery raw materials, software development and electricity costs. These factors combine to make electric vehicles more expensive to manufacture, limiting manufacturers' flexibility in selling prices.

At the same time, Mercedes-Benz also revealed more details about its new electric vehicle architecture CLA compact electric sedan. This model is expected to be launched on the market in 2024, with the goal of increasing the cruising range by 30% to 35%. The new CLA electric sedan has a target range of 12 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers, compared with 17 to 18 kilowatt-hours per 100 kilometers for the EQ350 compact SUV currently offered by Mercedes.

In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Group is working to reduce the manufacturing costs of electric vehicles. Chief Technology Officer Marcus Schaefer said their goal is to reduce the manufacturing cost of CLA electric models by 50%. To achieve this, batteries for the new CLA electric car will be produced by key suppliers CATL and ACC, with Mercedes-Benz also leveraging its partnership with the latter.

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