Mercedes considers separate eco brand like BMW’s.

Mercedes could be plotting to develop its own eco brand much like BMW has pulled off with the sensational i-division. Speaking to the media Ola Källenius, member of the board of management of Daimler AG, partly revealed the company’s ambitions.

“What we’re going to do in terms of the road to zero emissions is invest heavily in alternative drivelines and electrification,” he said. “That’s a very wide strategy, but it means that by the end of next year we will have 10 plug-in hybrid models, which, I think, is the widest portfolio of any luxury manufacturer.

“By the end of this year, we will have three electric cars, with the B Class and the two Smarts. And at the end of next year we will launch a next-generation fuel cell vehicle, which is a zero-emissions vehicle based on the GLC platform.

“We could choose for the purpose-made electric vehicles to create some sort of eco brand but, right now, Mercedes is focused on investing tremendous resources into the path towards zero emissions. It’s something that will affect the whole portfolio.”