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☆ India 'confident' new EV policy measures will allow more foreign players to enter market
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"It was meant for all global EV manufacturers and domestic manufacturers." While much of the "buzz has been around Tesla," Singh underscored the initiatives will also attract other foreign automakers, highlighting that Vietnam's leading EV maker "VinFast has already announced its intent." In February, VinFast broke ground on its integrated EV manufacturing facility in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu. As competition in India's EV sector remains limited, the entry of major players like Tesla, will level the playing field, MG Motor India's CEO Emeritus Rajeev Chaba told CNBC. Robust trajectoryAccording to Counterpoint Research, India's EV sales nearly doubled in 2023, driven by rising consumer interest and government initiatives, among other factors.

Persons: Rajesh Kumar Singh, CNBC's, Singh, VinFast, Elon Musk, Narendra Modi, Tesla, Rajeev Chaba, EVs, Modi, Ola, Bain Organizations: Department, Promotion, Industry, Internal, EV, CNBC's Sri, Motor, CNBC, Counterpoint Research, International Energy Agency, TVS Motor, Bajaj, Ampere, Bain & Company Locations: India, Tamil Nadu, China

☆ Mercedes Benz ditches plan to sell only EVs by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

In 2021, the German carmaker announced plans only to sell electric vehicles — "where market conditions allow" — by 2030. And, as of Thursday's release, it expects its overall EV sales to reach just 50% by the time 2030 rolls around. During a September interview at the Munich car show, Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius first hinted at a more narrow outlook for the EV market. AdvertisementMercedes expects its EV sales to account for about 19% to 21% of new car sales this year. Mercedes isn't the only automaker that is reevaluating its EV plans.

Persons: Mercedes, Ola Källenius, It's, Mercedes isn't, Harald Wilhelm Organizations: Benz, carmaker, EV, Mercedes, Reuters Locations: Munich

☆ Mercedes-Benz is working through supply chain challenges, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMercedes-Benz is working through supply chain challenges, CEO saysMercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius discusses the German carmaker's full-year 2023 earnings report and explains how the company is navigating "exceptional levels of uncertainty."

Persons: Ola Källenius Organizations: Mercedes, Benz

☆ RagaAI tests AI models. Check out the 10-slide pitch deck it used to raise $4.7 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A startup that has developed an automated platform to test AI models has just secured $4.7 million in fresh funding. RagaAI has developed a way to gauge the safety and reliability of AI models, and diagnose any issues instantly. Its platform screens AI issues across large language models (LLMs), videos, and audio to structured data. An example use case included a product team using Raga's tool to identify hallucinations in its chatbot. The round was led by early-stage venture capital firm Pi Ventures, with additional participation from Anorak Ventures, TenOneTen Ventures, Arka Ventures, and Mana Ventures.

Persons: Gaurav Agarwal, Ola, RagaAI, Agarwal Organizations: San, Nvidia, Business, Pi Ventures, Anorak Ventures, TenOneTen Ventures, Arka Ventures, Mana Ventures Locations: San Francisco

[1/6] Ola electric scooters are seen outside the Ola Electric Service Centre, in Thane on the outskirts of Mumbai, India, October 25, 2023. Aggarwal's Ola Electric, which he likens to Tesla in the West, is zipping towards a stock-market listing after going from zero to 338,000 e-scooter sales in about two years. But he acknowledged service capacity issues and said Ola was "aggressively" bolstering its service network by adding 100 new centres and hiring more technicians. 'TESLA FOR WEST, OLA FOR REST'Aggarwal often declares, "Tesla is for the West, Ola for the rest", and he's a man in a hurry. "Electric vehicles are new to people so they aren't aware of how to ride the vehicle to maximise optimal output," he said.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, it's, Elon Musk, Aggarwal's Ola, Tesla, Ola, Devendra Ghuge, Aggarwal, Ola EVs, Ravi Bhatia, Bhatia, Japan's SoftBank, Ronald Radhakrishnan, Koradia, Riddhima Talwani, Aditi Shah, Rishika Sadam, Sriram, Arpan Chaturvedi, Anushree, Pandya, Francis Mascerehnas, Varun Vyas, Munsif, Jatindra, Saurabh Sharma, Sumit Khanna, Jose Devasia, Aditya Kalra Organizations: Ola Electric Service Centre, REUTERS, Staff, Reuters, JATO Dynamics, WEST, OLA, West, Singapore's Temasek, Industry, Hero Electric, TVS, EV, Ola, Fayaz Bukhari, Thomson Locations: Thane, Mumbai, India, THANE, HYDERABAD, DELHI, MUMBAI, Chennai, Bengaluru, India's, U.S, China, Kochi, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jose, Srinagar

☆ For global banks, India could soon be worth it
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Pranav Kiran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The hot new business class ticket within Asia is in fact, Hong Kong to Mumbai. Before the pandemic, more than half of the Asian top line of U.S. bulge bracket banks typically came from Greater China which includes the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Overall, IPO fees in India have risen from 1% of proceeds in 2017 closer to 2% in recent years, LSEG data shows. Hong Kong bankers are not going to relocate to India any time soon but while they wait out a slow and uncertain recovery in China activity, the trip to India looks increasingly worthwhile. Proceeds from initial public offerings in India amounted to $3.8 billion across 172 deals as of Oct. 24, according to LSEG data.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Banks, Mukesh Ambani, Bhavish, Ola, What’s, Gaurav Trehan, Blackstone, Amit Dixit, David Solomon, James Gorman, Citigroup's Jane Fraser, Noel Quinn, Bill Winters, Una Galani, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, UBS, Insurance, JPMorgan, Citigroup, Reliance Industries, KKR, Bank of America, Global Financial, Investment, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Offshore, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, Hong Kong, China, Asia, Mumbai, Greater China, Macau, Taiwan, Beijing, Washington, India, United States, Offshore China

Luis Diaz lifted his Liverpool jersey to reveal a T-shirt with the words “Libertad Para Papa” (“Freedom for Papa”) after scoring a late equalizer Sunday in his first appearance for the team since his parents were kidnapped in his native Colombia. Diaz returned to training on Thursday after missing two Liverpool games and said he was ready to play against Luton, with manager Jurgen Klopp selecting him on the bench. "That’s it, for us a super important goal and for him very important and emotional.”Klopp said before the game that “positive” negotiations were taking place about the release of Diaz's father. Tahith Chong looked like being the match-winner for Luton, converting a finish at the end of an 80th-minute counterattack that came after a Liverpool corner. “We pushed a top, top team all the way and we can take a lot of confidence from that.

Persons: Luis Diaz, Papa ”, Diaz, Jurgen Klopp, Harvey Elliott’s, ” Klopp, Klopp, Tahith Chong, ”, Rob Edwards, “, Emi Martinez, Aston Villa, Martinez, Orel Mangala’s, Ola Aina, Unai, Steve Douglas Organizations: Liverpool, Luton, Premier League, National Liberation Army, League's, Luton's, ” Luton, Nottingham Forest, Forest, Villa Locations: Papa, Colombia, Barrancas, Liverpool, Argentina

☆ Suspected Boko Haram kills at least 40 in Nigeria's Yobe state, police say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Nov 1 (Reuters) - At least 40 people were killed in Nigeria's Yobe state between Monday and Tuesday after suspected Boko Haram militants shot at villagers and set off a land mine, in the first major attack on the northern eastern state in 18 months, the police said on Wednesday. The attack happened at about 8:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) on Monday, at Gurokayeya village, Gaidam local government in Yobe State, the state's police spokesperson Abdulkarim Dungus said. He said gunmen opened fire on villagers, killing at least 17 people and that on Tuesday a land mine exploded, killing at least 20 villagers who were returning from burying victims of the previous attack. The last time a bomb exploded in Yobe state was in April 2022. Lawan Ahmed, a resident, told Reuters the militants shot at villagers sporadically from motorbikes, killing about 18 people on Monday.

Persons: Boko Haram, Abdulkarim Dungus, Bola Tinubu, Lawan Ahmed, Ahmed, Lanre Ola, Ahmed Kingimi, Chijioke Ohuocha, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Franklin Paul, Jonathan Oatis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Yobe, Gurokayeya, Yobe State, Borno

☆ Volkswagen's Europe and US sales offset China weakness in Q3
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Christoph Steitz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Volkswagen group delivered 2.34 million vehicles in total in July-September. In China, deliveries fell 5.8% to 837,200, the company said, joining rival German carmakers in reporting a quarterly decline there. Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) and BMW (BMWG.DE) earlier this week said their third-quarter sales in China fell, with the former hit by supply chain issues and model changes. Still, car sales in China continued a recovery in September, rising for the second consecutive month, benefiting from stronger demand and new models ahead of key holidays. Volkswagen recorded a 40.5% increase in deliveries of all-electric vehicles to 209,900 in the third quarter, accounting for 9% of group deliveries.

Persons: Fabrizio Bensch, carmaker, Ola Kaellenius, Hildegard Wortmann, Christoph Steitz, Tristan Chabba, Rachel More, Mark Potter Organizations: Volkswagen, REUTERS, German, Mercedes, Benz, BMW, Thomson Locations: Salzgitter, Germany, China, FRANKFURT, Europe, North America, Zwickau

☆ Volkswagen's Europe, U.S. vehicle deliveries offset China weakness in Q3
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Volkswagen employees stand next to Volkswagen electric cars during a ceremony at German carmaker Volkswagen's first battery cell production plant 'SalzGiga' in Salzgitter, Germany, July 7, 2022. Overall, Volkswagen recorded group deliveries of 2.34 million vehicles in the July-September period. In China, deliveries fell 5.8% to 837,200 in the period, Volkswagen said, joining rival German carmakers in unveiling a quarterly drop. Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) and BMW (BMWG.DE) earlier this week saw their third-quarter sales in China fall, with the former being hit by supply chain issues and model changes. Car sales in China still continued their recovery in September, rising for the second consecutive month, benefiting from stronger demand and new models ahead of key holidays.

Persons: Fabrizio Bensch, Ola Kaellenius, Christoph Steitz, Tristan Chabba, Rachel More Organizations: Volkswagen, REUTERS, Rights, German, Benz, BMW, carmakers, Thomson Locations: Salzgitter, Germany, Europe, North America, China

☆ Cassidy Hutchinson says Ted Cruz told her not to be a 'tattletale' after she complained to Mark Meadows that Cruz crashed a Trump tarmac arrival in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Cassidy Hutchinson, in her new memoir, recounted her dismay with Ted Cruz over a 2020 incident. AdvertisementAdvertisementFormer White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, in her new memoir, said that Sen. Ted Cruz told her not to be a "tattletale" after she vented to Mark Meadows about him showing up to greet President Donald Trump at a tarmac arrival in Texas. In the memoir, Hutchinson described her plan to have Republican Gov. As a top aide to then-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Hutchinson said she wasn't impressed by Cruz's actions. "That was the last time I spoke to Ted Cruz," she added.

Persons: Cassidy Hutchinson, Ted Cruz, Hutchinson, Greg Abbott, Cruz, —, Sen, Mark Meadows, Donald Trump, Texas . Hutchinson, Hurricane Laura, Steve Scalise, Cruz —, texted, POTUS, Governor Abbott, wasn't, Abbott, He'll, Meadows, Insider's Bryan Metzger, he'd Organizations: Texas Gov, Trump, Service, White House, Republican, OLA, Legislative Affairs, Capitol, Democrats Locations: Texas ., Hurricane, Gulf, Texas, Louisiana, —

☆ Exclusive: China's Nio explores investment, tech alliances with Mercedes - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Nio, when contacted, denied it talked to Mercedes on a collaboration, calling it "untrue", without elaborating. Mercedes said in a separate response that there were no collaboration plans with Nio at the moment. Chinese EV companies may also be able to navigate potential trade barriers better by forging such tie-ups. Nio, whose investors include Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings (0700.HK), has publicly called for more such tie-ups with established automakers. ($1 = 7.3127 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh; Additional reporting by Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: William Li, Ola Kaellenius, Nio, Mercedes, Leapmotor, Elon Musk, Tesla, Nio's Li, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Ilona Wissenbach, Muralikumar Organizations: HK, Mercedes, Benz, Nio, EV, Volkswagen, SAIC, Audi, VW's, Tencent Holdings, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Tesla, Frankfurt

JSW held talks with senior LGES executives in Korea earlier this month, proposing a partnership to manufacture battery cells in India for EVs and energy storage, one of the people with direct knowledge of the discussions said. "Due diligence wise JSW is talking to a lot of people because it needs an ecosystem for an EV. JSW's billionaire chairman Sajjan Jindal has publicly aired his desire to build EVs and its talks to buy a stake in China's MG Motor (600104.SS). Toshiba said it is not able to confirm "at this point" if it is in talks with JSW for a partnership to build battery cells. Tesla is also eyeing India and is in talks with the government to build EVs and batteries there.

Persons: Danish Siddiqui, JSW, LGES, China's CATL, Sajjan Jindal, CATL, Narendra Modi's, JSW's, Ola, Aditi Shah, Neha Arora, Heekyong Yang, Daniel Leussink, Miho Uranaka, Zhang Yan, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Danish, Korea's LG Energy, Panasonic, Toshiba, JSW's, Tesla, General Motors, China's, HK, Reuters, JSW, Tata Motors, TVS, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, DELHI, Korea, Korean, India's, New Delhi, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai

"Due diligence wise JSW is talking to a lot of people because it needs an ecosystem for an EV. JSW's billionaire chairman Sajjan Jindal has publicly aired his desire to build EVs and its talks to buy a stake in China's MG Motor (600104.SS). Toshiba said it is not able to confirm "at this point" if it is in talks with JSW for a partnership to build battery cells. All three sources declined to be identified as the talks are still ongoing and a final decision has not been made. Tesla is also eyeing India and is in talks with the government to build EVs and batteries there.

REUTERS/VarunVyas Hebbalalu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUMBAI, Sept 20 (Reuters) - India's Ola Electric plans to file regulatory papers for its up to $700 million IPO before the end of October as the e-scooter maker fast-tracks its listing move, three people with direct knowledge said. Backed by investors including Singapore's Temasek and Japan's SoftBank (9984.T), Ola Electric was valued at $5.4 billion in a recent fund raising. Ola Electric and Kotak did not respond to a request for comment while the other three banks declined to comment. Ola Electric is targeting IPO roadshows for early January or February, said one of the sources. Ola Electric, though, still makes losses.

Persons: Ola, VarunVyas, Japan's SoftBank, Ola Electric, Goldman Sachs, Bhavish Aggarwal, Tesla, Sriram, Aditi Shah, Aditya Kalra Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Singapore's Temasek, Japan's, Ola, ICICI, Bank of America, West, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Pochampalli, Tamil Nadu, India, Rights MUMBAI

☆ Indian e-scooter maker Ather readies new models and exports after subsidy cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Aditi Shah | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ather electric scooters are seen outside the showroom in Mumbai, India, January 28, 2022. India's electric scooter market is small but growing, with e-models accounting for 5% of total scooter and motorcycle sales in the last fiscal year against a government target of 70% by 2030. "The transition to electric vehicles could have been faster if not for the (subsidy) change but even then, there will be no major impact in the mid to long term," he said. Valued at around $750 million, Ather will raise more money before the end of 2023 to back its growth plans, he said, without giving more details. "India will not only be the largest market in the world for electric two-wheelers but also the largest exporter," he said.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Tarun Mehta, Mehta, Ather, Electric, Hero MotoCorp, Aditi Shah, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Ather, Reuters, Softbank, TVS, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India

☆ From BMW to Porsche: Take a look at the cars on display at one of the world's biggest auto shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

BMW Vision Neue KlasseBMW revealed the BMW Vision Neue Klasse, a concept electric vehicle that will underpin its foray into battery-powered cars. Mercedes-Benz Vision One ElevenThe Mercedes-Benz Vision One Eleven on display at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Germany. GTI ConceptThe all-electric Volkswagen ID GTI Concept car on display at the IAA Mobility 2023 show in Munich, Germany. Porsche Mission XThe Porsche Mission X on display at the IAA Mobility 2023 show in Munich, Germany. Lego Lamborghini Sián FKP 37A Lego version of the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 on display at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich, Germany.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Ola Källenius, Mercedes, Sven Hoppe, Arjun Kharpal, Leapmotor, Zhu Jiangming, BYD, Warren Buffett, Kharpal, Lucid, Cyberster Organizations: Management, Mercedes, Benz AG, Getty, Mobility, BMW, Neue, CNBC, Benz, IAA, Leapmotor, Opel, CNBC Stellantis, Air, Volkswagen, IAA Mobility, Porsche, Carrera GT, Shanghai Auto, Lamborghini Locations: Munich, GERMANY, Germany, Xpeng, BYD, Hangzhou, Europe

Ola Electric's S1 Air e-scooters are pictured inside its manufacturing facility in Pochampalli in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, August 15, 2023. REUTERS/VarunVyas Hebbalalu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Singapore's investment firm Temasek led a $140 million funding round in India's Ola Electric at a valuation of $5.4 billion, two sources with the direct knowledge said, the latest funding for the e-scooter maker before its initial public offering. Ola did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, while Temasek, which is an existing investor in Ola Electric, declined to comment. Ola Electric, founded by Bhavish Aggarwal and backed by Japan's SoftBank Group (9984.T), has become India's e-scooter market leader with a 32% share, competing with Ather Energy as well as companies such as TVS Motor (TVSM.NS) and Hero Electric. Valued at $5 billion last year, Ola sold around 95,000 e-scooters during April-August 2023, industry data showed.

Persons: Ola, VarunVyas, Ola Electric, Bhavish Aggarwal, Japan's, Aditya Kalra, Aditi Shah, Yantoultra Ngui, Dhwani Pandya, Rashmi Organizations: REUTERS, Temasek, Japan's SoftBank, Ather Energy, TVS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Pochampalli, Tamil Nadu, India, DELHI, India's, Temasek, Ola

REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth Acquire Licensing RightsMUNICH, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Mercedes-Benz (MBGn.DE) does not expect its sales in Europe to be all-electric by 2030 but will have its line-up ready, Chief Executive Ola Kaellenius said in an interview at the Munich car show. The premium carmaker has long said it is targeting all-electric sales by 2030 "where markets allow", saying customers will ultimately decide what product they want and pointing to the need for infrastructure to support the transition to electric vehicles (EV). Europe's EV market had grown significantly in recent years but likely wouldn't be ready for all-electric sales by 2030, Kaellenius said on the sidelines of the Munich show. "It's not going to be 100% in 2030, obviously... from the whole European market, but probably from the Mercedes side as well," he said. EV sales in Europe grew nearly 55% in the first seven months of 2023, to about 820,000 vehicles, making up about 13% of all car sales.

Persons: Mercedes, Angelika Warmuth, Ola Kaellenius, Kaellenius, It's, Oliver Zipse, Oliver Blume, Victoria Waldersee, Miranda Murray, Susan Fenton Organizations: Benz, REUTERS, Rights, Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Victoria, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, Europe, China

☆ BMW, Mercedes launch biggest EV push yet to catch Tesla with new models
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

BMWMUNICH, Germany — BMW and Mercedes are making their biggest push yet into electric cars in a bid to fend off rising competition from Chinese players and catch up with U.S. giant Tesla . On Saturday, rival BMW showed off the "Vision Neue Klasse," another electric concept car that highlights the company's EV ambitions. This is the companies' biggest push yet toward a new platform for the electric vehicle era. Tesla commanded 20% of the global EV market in the second quarter, followed by 15% for BYD, according to Counterpoint Research. GTI Concept electric vehicle at the IAA show, and said a production version of the car is scheduled to hit the road in 2027.

Persons: Warren Buffett, BYD, Elon Musk's Tesla, Mercedes, Ola Kallenius, Kallenius, CNBC's Annette Weisbach, Oliver Zipse, CNBC's Arabile, Zipse, Daniel Roeska, Roeska, Tesla Organizations: BMW, IAA, BMW MUNICH, Mercedes, IAA Mobility, Benz, Analysts, Bernstein Research, CNBC, Tesla, BYD, Research, U.S ., EV, Volkswagen Locations: Munich, Germany, Tesla, China

☆ Mercedes unveils new electric vehicles with better range than any Tesla model
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled new “close-to-production” concept vehicles that could outdo Tesla cars by going more than 466 miles on a single charge. That’s compared with a range of less than 380 miles for any Tesla model. The German automaker’s Concept CLA Class, revealed Sunday at the IAA Mobility auto show in Munich, comprises four new models: a sedan, a station wagon and two SUVs. The vehicles will each have a range of more than 750 kilometers (466 miles), versus Tesla’s (TSLA) Model 3 and Model S, which have the brand’s highest ranges and each can go for just under 375 miles off one charge. Overall, charging speed and range are expected to be improved by up to 30% compared with the brand’s previous models, according to the company.

Persons: London CNN — Mercedes, Tesla, ” Frank Weber, Mercedes, Ola Källenius, Roger Federer, Källenius, Mercedes ’, “ Organizations: London CNN, Benz, IAA, BMW, Volkswagen, Renault, Europe’s, “, Neue, Mercedes, Roger Federer Sunday, UBS Locations: Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Mercedes ’

☆ Mercedes boss: EV costs will remain higher for foreseeable future
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ola Kaellenius's comments come as Mercedes-Benz disclosed more details about its newest electric vehicle architecture, the CLA compact electric sedan, which will launch next year and target 30% to 35% more driving range. "The variable costs for an electric car are higher. It will remain that way for the foreseeable future," Kaellenius told journalists at the IAA car show in Munich, adding higher costs could not be passed on to customers on a like for like basis. Variable costs weighing on the price tag of EV production include raw materials for batteries, software development, and electricity prices. Batteries for the CLA will be produced by key supplier CATL (300750.SZ) and ACC, in which Mercedes owns a third.

Persons: Ola Kaellenius's, Kaellenius, Markus Schaefer, Mercedes, Schaefer, Christina Amann, Christoph Steitz, Frances Kerry Organizations: Benz, Mercedes, IAA, ACC, Victoria, Thomson Locations: Woodstock , Alabama, MUNICH, Munich

☆ Mercedes to release a smaller version of its G Class luxury SUV
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Mercedes-Benz G Class is a luxury SUV that has become popular in the U.S.Mercedes plans to launch a smaller version of its high-end G Class sports utility vehicle, the German carmaker's CEO told CNBC in an interview Sunday. The G Class, a rugged off-road car which starts at just under $140,000, is popular with buyers in the U.S. Now Ola Kallenius, CEO of Mercedes, confirmed a "little G" is on the horizon, a smaller version of the G Class. The G Class is known for being difficult to get your hands on, with Mercedes controlling the supply of the luxury off-road car. "The G Class is an icon, it is difficult to get one.

Persons: Mercedes, Ola Kallenius, Kallenius, CNBC's Annette Weisbach, Bentley Organizations: Mercedes, Benz, CNBC, Rover Locations: U.S

☆ Mercedes to release a 'little' G-Class in a 'few years,' CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMercedes to release a 'little' G-Class in a 'few years,' CEO saysSpeaking at the IAA motor show, Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius talks to CNBC's Annette Weisbach about plans for a "little" G-Class, as well as the path to zero emissions and the future of the brand.

Persons: Mercedes, Ola Källenius, CNBC's Annette Weisbach Organizations: IAA

Mercedes will also offer a lithium-iron-phosphate, or LFP, battery in the new CLA model lineup due to hit showrooms in early 2025, a first for any Mercedes EV, the CEO said in an interview. Mercedes will preview the future electric CLA with a prototype to be unveiled at the IAA auto show in Munich, Germany on Sunday. Getting more driving range using less energy from the battery is the key target for the German automaker's future EV development, Kaellenius said. Driving range remains a critical competitive benchmark in the EV market. Mercedes engineers have been testing ways to improve EV efficiency using long road trips in a prototype vehicle called the Vision EQXX.

Persons: Ola Kaellenius, Mercedes, Tesla, Kaellenius, Joe White, Susan Fenton Organizations: DETROIT, Benz, Reuters, EV, Tesla, Sunday, VW, Consumers, Thomson Locations: China, Munich, Germany, Europe, United States

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