Mercedes luxury electric vehicle now more than a rumor

Earlier this year, rumors of an all-electric luxury car from Mercedes-Benz hit our radar and now Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has reportedly confirmed that his company is trying to release a high-class EV in 2010. This isn't the Smart EV, although that's still on the drawing board, but a separate Benz electric. The news comes from Thompson Financial (via Automotive News - subs req'd), which got a sneak peek at tomorrow's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung interview with Zetsche. Zetsche didn't reveal any more details (except to say that the price of the vehicle is dependent on if the batteries will be sold or leased) so we'll just return to our notes from March from an insider at Mercedes' Stuttgart Research Center. We also know that the Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid, pictured, should be MB's first vehicle to use lithium-ion batteries.
[Source: Automotive News (subs req'd)]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jake 7:02PM (6/20/2008)
Sounds like this is a good foil for BMW's Hydrogen 7. Now we have another company that's in the BEV camp. 2010 is looking to be a good year.
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Doug 9:25PM (6/20/2008)
Could this have anything to do with that "small deal" between Tesla and Daimler?
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/06/12/will-daimler-supply-engines-to-tesla-for-whitestar/
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BlackbirdHighway 9:52PM (6/20/2008)
Have to wonder if the Tesla/Daimler "small deal that may turn into something larger" is connected to this somehow.
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Alexander Peijnenborgh 10:39AM (6/22/2008)
For all Tesla lover out here, I've read the article in the German newspaper, I said nothing that hinted "Tesla". He only spoke of the Smart Electric, that will get Litium Ion batteries next year.
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BlackbirdHighway 1:13PM (6/22/2008)
Something must have been lost in translation if he said "Smart Car" and at our end it came out "Luxury Car".
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