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Mercedes Unveils First Tesla Rival In $12 Billion Attack (bloomberg.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: Mercedes-Benz, the world's largest maker of luxury cars, is rolling out its first in a series of battery-powered models, adding to a growing array of high-end brands targeting Tesla. The Mercedes EQC crossover starts production in the first half of next year, part of a plan to develop its EQ electric line, Daimler AG Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche told reporters in Stockholm at the car's world premiere. The company intended to invest $12 billion on the electric-car push, but the spending has become "more than that," he said Tuesday, without specifying figures. "There is no alternative to betting on electric cars, and we're going all in," Zetsche said. "It is starting right now." The new EQC -- roughly the size of the brand's popular GLC SUV -- features a range of more than 280 miles and accelerates to 62 mph in as little as 5.1 seconds. The Model X has a range of 237 miles. Daimler doesn't plan to establish a dedicated electric assembly plant and will instead build the vehicles at the same sites as conventional automobiles to be able to better adjust output, Zetsche said, adding that he expects demand to mainly eat into sales of combustion cars rather than lure new customers.
Superfast acceleration is perhaps #231 on the list of must-haves for prospective buyers of this type of car. The importance things to compete on are range, charging, looks, room, quality, comfort. Especially looks... many automakers get this wrong and think that when desiging an EV, you must toss all common styling wisdom out the window (hello BMW i3, you nasty eyesore). One thing that made Teslas so popular is that they are fairly normal looking vehicles.
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
Tesla has a HUGE lead in rapid charging stations
That's why I will be staying with ICE for quite some time. When I buy an ICE car, I don't have to worry about who has the 'lead' in filling it.
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
I currently own 2 merceders a C200 and an E220D. One of my best mates owns a Tesla S.
The Tesla is really nice. And goes incredibly quick. But for me it doesn't tick the right boxes for me to spend that amount of money on.
I totally get that it is personal taste, but I'm not a fan of the interior of the tesla. It doesn't feel as nice as my E. And while the tesla wieghs more than my E it doesn't have the same solid feel inside. Stupid example is the sound the doors make when you close them. Also, once you get over the geeky "thats so cool" response to the massive screen in the tesla I'm not a fan of it.
Acceleration isn't a thing for me. Cars have never really been about performance, I have motorcycles for that.
One thing that my mate owning a tesla has done is totally remove any range concern about owning an electric I might have had. Sure my E will do over 1000km on a tank. But his tesla has a full tank every morning. The 30km each way commute to the city just isn't a cause for concern. Also our state govt has built a network of charging stations along the primary highway network.
For me an electric car in the same category as the Mercedes E class would be hugely compelling.
Electric car owners will find themselves at public charging stations infrequently. As an ICE owner, I have to refill at a gas station once a week. An electric car owner generally charges overnight at home, and only has to charge on the road occasionally when their trip is longer than 250 miles. Sure- if you're going to say "But I have a 300 mile trip every week!" then an electric car may not be for you. But you would be greatly in the minority.