Tesla Motors will face more competition from German auto giant Mercedes-Benz. Reports claim that Daimler — parent entity to Mercedes-Benz — aims to close the billion-dollar lead held by Tesla in the EV space. This will come in the form of several new EV launches over the coming years.
Germany holds a bulk of the world’s motoring juggernauts. The likes of Porsche, BMW, Audi and VW are all German giants that have deep roots in the auto market. Though renowned, these brands hold very little weight in the EV space. The last few years have shown this to be a clear misdirection of focus for car makers.
Tesla still leads the way
Tesla Motors and its likes were thought to be building a name for themselves within a small niche of the auto market. Today, it has become evident that electric cars are not merely an alternative driving option, but the inevitable future of motoring.
Finally catching on, news from Reuters reports that Mercedes-Benz will be hitting the luxury EV segment hard with around six to nine electric cars. These will be seen over the next several years with the first of them set to showcase at the end of September. Reports claim that an alluring Mercedes EV concept will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show this year. It will be the first glimpse of the car maker’s plans to speed up its presence in the premium EV market.
Tesla Motors currently sells two EVs and has another popular, more inclusive car on the way. Both the Model S sedan and Model X SUV continue to grow their appeal while the third and upcoming Model 3 raked in a few hundred thousand pre-orders more than a year ahead of its launch.
Daimler to join the race
Tesla’s popularity is far from unprecedented though. Since its inception, the EV company has repeatedly proven that electric cars not only match the performance of their combustion engine peers, but outdo them is several other aspects too.
The Model S and Model X are among the fastest-accelerating cars available on the market today. They can span over 200 miles on a single charge and practically drive themselves. Best of all, these EVs are subject to constant upgrades that improve the car’s capabilities on an almost daily basis.
Daimler, on the other hand, is expected to roll out its own EVs between 2018 and 2024. We look forward to seeing to the company’s take on luxury electric cars and whether they will match, surpass or fall short of Teslas.
In the meantime, Tesla Motors appears to be working tirelessly at getting itself back to normal. Recent mergers, finance cuts and Autopilot scandals have diverted focus from the upcoming Model 3. Going for about $30,000 at standard, the car stands to be the EV maker’s most inclusive car yet and already has around 400,000 standing orders around the globe.