ATLANTA: Daimler will begin selling its electric Mercedes-Benz EQC in the United States early next year at a starting price of US$67,900 (RM284,000), the German carmaker said on Wednesday.
The Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC, which can also charge its batteries on the move, can recharge from 10% to 80% in 40 minutes, Mercedes-Benz USA said.
Daimler’s electric sports utility vehicle will face competition from Tesla Inc’s Model Y SUV, which starts at a price of US$39,000 (RM163,000) and will be available in 2021.
Daimler in September reiterated its plan to have up to 10 electrified car variants by 2022, and ex-chief executive officer Dieter Zetsche said he hoped the EQC and other electric cars would account for 15% to 25% of its sales by 2025.
In a related development, Daimler chief executive Ola Kaellenius on Wednesday said the resulting drop in sales of electric and hybrid vehicles in China after incentives were curbed shows that they are still needed.
The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), said sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) fell 45.6% in October from year-ago levels, following a 33% decline in September.
“When China pulled back incentives for new energy vehicles the market was down. It went into free fall. It is important to have an incentive structure during the transformation phase,” Kaellenius said, commenting on the shift away from combustion engines.
CAAM said last week that fewer NEV’s could be sold in China this year than in 2018 as customers hold back purchases following the government’s decision this year to cut back subsidies.
