Daimler to produce electric cars for EQ subbrand in China
Daimler AG said it plans to produce electric cars in China for its EQ subbrand, the Global Times newspaper reported.
At the Guangzhou auto show, the German automaker displayed its Concept EQ, a battery-electric vehicle with a range of 500 kilometers (311 miles) on a single charge.
"The new-energy vehicle market is expanding rapidly, especially in China, where the market is dynamic," Hubertus Troska, Daimler's China boss, told the state-run Global Times. "We intend to build cars of the EQ brand in China."
But Troska did not indicate when it would launch EV production or which models would be introduced. Worldwide, Daimler plans to roll out at least six, and possibly as many as nine, electric car models between 2018 and 2024.
Daimler sells one EV in China under its Smart brand, and one under the Denza brand that it operates with local partner BYD Co. The company's China lineup also includes plug-in hybrid versions of the Mercedes C- and S-class sedans and GLE crossover.
In the first 10 months of the year, Mercedes-Benz sold 377,000 vehicles in China, up 30 percent year on year.
"The new-energy vehicle market is expanding rapidly, especially in China, where the market is dynamic," Hubertus Troska, Daimler's China boss, told the state-run Global Times. "We intend to build cars of the EQ brand in China."
But Troska did not indicate when it would launch EV production or which models would be introduced. Worldwide, Daimler plans to roll out at least six, and possibly as many as nine, electric car models between 2018 and 2024.
Daimler sells one EV in China under its Smart brand, and one under the Denza brand that it operates with local partner BYD Co. The company's China lineup also includes plug-in hybrid versions of the Mercedes C- and S-class sedans and GLE crossover.
In the first 10 months of the year, Mercedes-Benz sold 377,000 vehicles in China, up 30 percent year on year.
