We're Making The Mercedes Among Electric Vehicles
We're Making The Mercedes Among Electric Vehicles

Video: We're Making The Mercedes Among Electric Vehicles

Video: We're Making The Mercedes Among Electric Vehicles
Video: Mercedes EQS is the Most Luxurious Electric Car and it's Not Even Close... 2024, March
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Mercedes celebrated the world premiere of the EQC on Tuesday evening. In an interview with Autogazette, chief developer Michael Kelz talks about the Swabians' new electric car.

The car manufacturer Mercedes will bring the first electric car of the EQ family onto the market next year. This means that the Stuttgart-based company is one of the late starters among the European premium manufacturers.

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Why late starters?

But the chief developer of the Mercedes EQC, Michael Kelz, does not want to hear about it. Why late starters? We had or have battery-electric vehicles on offer with the B-Class as well as with the Smart”, said Kelz briefly of the world premiere of the Mercedes EQC in an interview with Autogazette.

Kelz cannot see a competitive disadvantage from the market launch of the EQC in the coming year. "With e-mobility, a few months really don't matter at the moment." Rather, the characteristics of the products are decisive for success.

The other manufacturers also rely on the SUV segment

Mercedes EQC 1 of 8

Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche
Daimler boss Dieter Zetsche
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Play of light: the Mercedes EQC at the world premiere. Daimler

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The cockpit of the Mercedes EQC with the free-standing display. Daimler

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According to the NEDC, the range of the Mercedes EQC is 450 kilometers from Daimler

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Autogazette: Mr. Kelz, how are you as chief engineer with the fact that Mercedes is one of the late starters with the EQC?

Michael Kelz: Why late starters? With the B-Class and the Smart, we had or have battery-electric vehicles on offer. But now we are coming with a new electric car in a new segment and with different numbers. The flexibility in production in our factory in Bremen is also different. We see ourselves very well positioned.

Autogazette: Does the EQC also look like a GLC because it can run on the same belt as the GLC?

Kelz: The EQC is designed so that it can run on the same line as the GLC and it also has the same wheelbase. The EQC has a completely unique design inside and out. The EQC is part of the same architecture that the C- and E-Class and the CLS also belong to.

Autogazette: Did you lack the courage to design because the car is similar to the GLC?

Kelz: Absolutely not, it's a completely new car. The format chosen is in fact the same as the GLC because SUVs are the most successful segment on the market. If we want to sell the EQC in large numbers, we take the vehicle segment with the highest growth rates. If you look at the competition, the other manufacturers are also betting on the SUV segment with their electric cars.

There is a clear trend towards these vehicles

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Autogazette: Do you only focus on the SUV segment because it is the strongest segment?

Kelz: There is a clear trend towards these vehicles.

Autogazette: Does n't sustainability matter? The body shape doesn’t represent particularly good efficiency.

Kelz: It is certainly true that the drag of an SUV is not quite as good as that of a sedan. On the other hand, electrically powered vehicles are essentially not used in long-distance driving on the freeway. This shape also has another important aspect: namely, large wheels and the height of the vehicle, which can accommodate the battery.

Autogazette: Instead of the inventor of the automobile, Jaguar was the first European manufacturer to bring an electric car onto the market with the I-Pace. Why isn't Mercedes, as with the fuel cell, one of the pioneers in a future technology?

Kelz: We are doing very well with fuel cells. Not only with the fuel cells that we already had in our range, but also with the GLC F-Cell, which will be launched on the market at the end of the year. You can argue about start-up dates: We'll see who will ultimately drop off the most cars. It doesn't matter whether you're on the market a few months faster.

In the end, it's about the characteristics of the products

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Autogazette: Is it not a competitive disadvantage for you that you will not be launching the EQC until 2019, while Jaguar will be launching the I-Pace and Audi will be launching the e-tron at the end of the year?

Kelz: No, absolutely not. It's only about a couple of months. In the end, it is about the characteristics of the products. It's going to be an exciting time. With e-mobility, a few months really don't matter at the moment.

Autogazette: You are also so relaxed because the market ramp-up for e-mobility is expected in 2020 anyway?

Kelz: What is a real market ramp-up? I think these vehicles will find buyers now too. Buyers who have already driven a Mercedes can now get a Mercedes, just with a different drive.

It's not about trust in the technology

Autogazette: How seriously does a manufacturer like Mercedes take a technology like the fuel cell if you only offer a vehicle like the GLC F-Cell in limited numbers and to selected customers for leasing?

Kelz: It is not a matter of trust in the technology, which is why the vehicle is only going to selected customers. It's just the cost structure. It is no different with our competitors.

Autogazette: Hyundai offers the Nexo and Toyota the Mirai in the free sale.

Kelz: If I have to spend as much money on a drive as on a fuel cell, then the market is currently not big enough for that. I think you will see that in the sales of the competitors you mentioned.

Autogazette: It is always said that the Model X from Tesla, the I-Pace from Jaguar and the e-tron from Audi are your competitors. Would you agree with that?

Kelz: At the moment there aren't that many models on offer in the premium segment, so it's more about seeing which customers are actually switching to these models. I don't see the big competition there yet. The current issue is that every manufacturer wants to supply its customers with the most popular electric car possible. Our main goal was to build a Mercedes that our customers expect from us. We're making the Mercedes among e-vehicles and we're in good spirits that we've succeeded.

Are all on the same level

Autogazette: What sets the EQC apart from the competition in terms of technology?

Kelz: With our all-wheel drive with 150 kW each and the driving technology behind it such as traction, we have the vehicle at the level we know from the 4Matic. In terms of performance, we're all on the same level, we're all around 400 hp in this vehicle size.

Autogazette: will the 408 hp remain in power?

Kelz: The vehicle has an output of 408 hp. The range according to the NEDC will be over 450 km.

Autogazette: Jaguar offers 100 kW charging power, Audi 150 kW and you?

Kelz: Our charging capacity with direct current is currently 115 kW. So far we have assumed that the future charging power will be 120 kW. Accordingly, we have based our development on this value. Most current charging stations only have 50 kW anyway. Even with a 150 kW charger, I could only charge the battery with this power for 15 to 20 minutes, because the charging power would then be limited.

Autogazette: How long do I need from 0 to 80 percent with an empty battery?

Kelz: We are currently investigating: currently it is 45 minutes from 10 to 80 percent.

In the end it is a question of the feeling of security

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Autogazette: How much range do you need from your point of view for e-cars to reach customers?

Kelz: Most people don't drive the range the car has in everyday life. For me personally, ranges would be real 200 to 250 kilometers. In the end it is a question of the perceived security and the still poor charging infrastructure. In the end, everyone wants 500 kilometers, but you have to want to pay for that.

Autogazette: It is not enough to just sell an electric car. What do you offer the customer around the car?

Kelz: Our vehicle is already prepared for the upcoming plug-and-charge technology. So you no longer need to hold a card at the charging station, it is billed automatically. Fortunately, the industry agreed on a protocol for this so that we could take it into account. Until the plug-and-charge technology comes along, we will offer him a card for use at the various charging stations. In addition, we of course have on-board and off-board calculations so that the customer can plan his range with the charging stations on the way.

There isn't one point that I find particularly cool

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Autogazette: The purchase premium was unable to generate a surge in demand, now the tax privilege for electric company cars will come in 2019. Is that the right step to accelerate the market ramp-up?

Kelz: Every step that reduces the purchase price of an e-car, which is still high, is an important step in advancing e-mobility in Germany.

Autogazette: What do you think is the coolest thing about this car?

Kelz: It's the entire driving experience. There isn't one point that I find particularly cool. We wanted to develop an electric car with the sportiness and driving dynamics of a CLS and driving comfort at least on the level of the E-Class and packaged in the common GLC format. It should be a well-rounded product. And it succeeded.

Frank Mertens conducted the interview with Michael Kelz

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