Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche on Tesla, Aston, Mercedes-Based Infinitis, and More
03-27-2015, 10:29 AM
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Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche on Tesla, Aston, Mercedes-Based Infinitis, and More
I found this discussion with Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche to be very interesting about the future direction they are heading...
http://blog.caranddriver.com/daimler...itis-and-more/
He feels electric cars are the future and the days of the internal combustion engine are numbered. He also seems to have a lot of respect for Elon Musk and Tesla but yet he absolutely refuses to build a car to compete with the Model S as he insists on building hybrids (which don't seem to be selling that well). All very interesting... I suppose it will be a while before we can expect to see an S class with a long range and high performance EV drivetrain to compete with the Tesla Model S.
The other bit I found interesting is that Infinity is apparently going to start building cars with Mercedes and he feels his competition is not BMW but Lexus.
Here's the article:
C/D: Your fully autonomous F 015 concept is intriguing. When will we be able to drive/not drive it?
Dieter Zetsche: We have partially autonomous driving now up to 15 mph, the next steps will be freeway driving of up to 75 mph, including passing. We will also launch self-parking cars without the presence of a driver. But a vehicle like the F 015 is surely for the next decade, not this one. [So, you're saying it'll be a while?—Ed.]
What is the outlook for carbon fiber at Mercedes?
We have previously built a fully carbon-fiber car with the SLR McLaren, and we have a few series-production parts, but we are not working on a fully carbon-fiber body and we do not believe that makes sense.
And electric vehicles? Buyers seem unconvinced.
And that is not truly surprising. Put simply, the customer gets a car with less range, longer refueling times, somewhat less space, and a higher price tag. Of course, there are some advantages, like the torque from zero rpm, and there are people who simply want to assume a leadership role in technology. But [customers] are focused mainly on value. As long as there are disadvantages, it will only be possible to gain customers through incentives and subsidies. I am convinced it is the technology of the future, however. The question is how long the transition will take. You can accelerate this process—or let it go its natural course.
Does this mean you believe the internal-combustion engine will go extinct?
Yes—in the long run. It will be around for a long time, especially [in regard to commercial vehicles], but passenger cars will increasingly use hybrid powertrains. And eventually even the battery-electric vehicle will sell in relevant numbers.
Daimler sold its shares in Tesla Motors; what role do you expect that company to assume in the wider automotive landscape?
If you choose to believe the financial analysts, a very heavy role. First, I have great respect for the work Elon Musk has done so far. Whether he will succeed with his future plans remains to be seen. At least he has managed to offset the aforementioned disadvantages of the electric motor with other fun factors, and he has been more successful at it than his competitors. The big question is whether this success is scalable and whether it can be transmitted to other segments. And I don’t have an answer to that.
Would Mercedes-Benz have gotten away with such a car and all of its compromises?
Of course not. But this should not be taken as criticism of Tesla, because their customers are satisfied and proud of their cars. Seen this way, Tesla has done a great job.
Will Daimler be involved in future Tesla models to the same extent as with the Model S?
It doesn’t look like it right now. We are always open for talks, but it is not our primary interest to help Tesla develop their next cars.
Some of your competitors want to build “Tesla fighters”—do you?
We will most certainly not build a Tesla fighter. We have our own strategy and aim to define our own products. Of course, we observe the competition and try to understand its strengths—but we act, we don’t react. And if we build a fighter, it will be directed at our established competitors, not at Tesla.
What are the long-term prospects for your partnership with Chinese carmaker BYD?
When we started that partnership, we were convinced that we shouldn’t just go to China to make a profit and send it back home; we also wanted to make a lasting impact. And since the interest in e-mobility is especially strong in China, we set out to jointly develop one with BYD. It was a considerable investment for us, and the Denza has become a really good car. Now we will wait and see how it performs on the market.
Would you export the Denza from China?
It is not in our plans, but I don’t want to rule it out.
There will be Mercedes-based Infinitis as part of your cooperation with Renault-Nissan. Are you concerned that they will be direct competitors?
No. We have discovered little overlap in our market research. The main movements are between Mercedes and Lexus, and BMW and Infiniti.
Will you expand the Maybach brand into other segments beyond the full-size sedan?
AMG is our sporty sub-brand, while Maybach stands for absolute exclusivity—and that won’t work in every segment but, of course, has potential beyond the current offerings.
Will you buy Aston Martin?
There are no plans and we are very satisfied with the status quo. The technological partnership is beneficial for both sides. We don’t want more, and it would not be good for a large corporation to choke a small series manufacturer with too much “love” and proximity. But we are happy to talk about further cooperation.
What’s next?
Be the clear number one.
http://blog.caranddriver.com/daimler...itis-and-more/
He feels electric cars are the future and the days of the internal combustion engine are numbered. He also seems to have a lot of respect for Elon Musk and Tesla but yet he absolutely refuses to build a car to compete with the Model S as he insists on building hybrids (which don't seem to be selling that well). All very interesting... I suppose it will be a while before we can expect to see an S class with a long range and high performance EV drivetrain to compete with the Tesla Model S.
The other bit I found interesting is that Infinity is apparently going to start building cars with Mercedes and he feels his competition is not BMW but Lexus.
Here's the article:
C/D: Your fully autonomous F 015 concept is intriguing. When will we be able to drive/not drive it?
Dieter Zetsche: We have partially autonomous driving now up to 15 mph, the next steps will be freeway driving of up to 75 mph, including passing. We will also launch self-parking cars without the presence of a driver. But a vehicle like the F 015 is surely for the next decade, not this one. [So, you're saying it'll be a while?—Ed.]
What is the outlook for carbon fiber at Mercedes?
We have previously built a fully carbon-fiber car with the SLR McLaren, and we have a few series-production parts, but we are not working on a fully carbon-fiber body and we do not believe that makes sense.
And electric vehicles? Buyers seem unconvinced.
And that is not truly surprising. Put simply, the customer gets a car with less range, longer refueling times, somewhat less space, and a higher price tag. Of course, there are some advantages, like the torque from zero rpm, and there are people who simply want to assume a leadership role in technology. But [customers] are focused mainly on value. As long as there are disadvantages, it will only be possible to gain customers through incentives and subsidies. I am convinced it is the technology of the future, however. The question is how long the transition will take. You can accelerate this process—or let it go its natural course.
Does this mean you believe the internal-combustion engine will go extinct?
Yes—in the long run. It will be around for a long time, especially [in regard to commercial vehicles], but passenger cars will increasingly use hybrid powertrains. And eventually even the battery-electric vehicle will sell in relevant numbers.
Daimler sold its shares in Tesla Motors; what role do you expect that company to assume in the wider automotive landscape?
If you choose to believe the financial analysts, a very heavy role. First, I have great respect for the work Elon Musk has done so far. Whether he will succeed with his future plans remains to be seen. At least he has managed to offset the aforementioned disadvantages of the electric motor with other fun factors, and he has been more successful at it than his competitors. The big question is whether this success is scalable and whether it can be transmitted to other segments. And I don’t have an answer to that.
Would Mercedes-Benz have gotten away with such a car and all of its compromises?
Of course not. But this should not be taken as criticism of Tesla, because their customers are satisfied and proud of their cars. Seen this way, Tesla has done a great job.
Will Daimler be involved in future Tesla models to the same extent as with the Model S?
It doesn’t look like it right now. We are always open for talks, but it is not our primary interest to help Tesla develop their next cars.
Some of your competitors want to build “Tesla fighters”—do you?
We will most certainly not build a Tesla fighter. We have our own strategy and aim to define our own products. Of course, we observe the competition and try to understand its strengths—but we act, we don’t react. And if we build a fighter, it will be directed at our established competitors, not at Tesla.
What are the long-term prospects for your partnership with Chinese carmaker BYD?
When we started that partnership, we were convinced that we shouldn’t just go to China to make a profit and send it back home; we also wanted to make a lasting impact. And since the interest in e-mobility is especially strong in China, we set out to jointly develop one with BYD. It was a considerable investment for us, and the Denza has become a really good car. Now we will wait and see how it performs on the market.
Would you export the Denza from China?
It is not in our plans, but I don’t want to rule it out.
There will be Mercedes-based Infinitis as part of your cooperation with Renault-Nissan. Are you concerned that they will be direct competitors?
No. We have discovered little overlap in our market research. The main movements are between Mercedes and Lexus, and BMW and Infiniti.
Will you expand the Maybach brand into other segments beyond the full-size sedan?
AMG is our sporty sub-brand, while Maybach stands for absolute exclusivity—and that won’t work in every segment but, of course, has potential beyond the current offerings.
Will you buy Aston Martin?
There are no plans and we are very satisfied with the status quo. The technological partnership is beneficial for both sides. We don’t want more, and it would not be good for a large corporation to choke a small series manufacturer with too much “love” and proximity. But we are happy to talk about further cooperation.
What’s next?
Be the clear number one.
Last edited by WEBSRFR; 03-27-2015 at 11:45 AM.
03-27-2015, 11:40 AM
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2014 E63S; AMS 100 octane ecu tune; edok tcu tune; BB intakes; dyno tuned
Excellent info
Goes to show you that most people have no clue what the Benz CEO is thinking
Very interesting stuff
Goes to show you that most people have no clue what the Benz CEO is thinking
Very interesting stuff
03-28-2015, 07:15 PM
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
This is definitely great information from the CEO. However, I think he is wrong on one main point. I DON'T believe that hybrids are the future. I can speak from personal experience. My wife is on her second hybrid (a 2010 RX450h). We are NOT buying another hybrid. It's a waste of money and does little to help the environment. You gain about 5-7 mpg on fuel. Big stinkin' deal! I honestly believe that the future is in all electric (like the Tesla) or perhaps hydrogen fuel cells. So I agree with the WEBSRFR that MB is wasting time and money investing in hybrids.
03-29-2015, 06:50 PM
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This is definitely great information from the CEO. However, I think he is wrong on one main point. I DON'T believe that hybrids are the future. I can speak from personal experience. My wife is on her second hybrid (a 2010 RX450h). We are NOT buying another hybrid. It's a waste of money and does little to help the environment. You gain about 5-7 mpg on fuel. Big stinkin' deal! I honestly believe that the future is in all electric (like the Tesla) or perhaps hydrogen fuel cells. So I agree with the WEBSRFR that MB is wasting time and money investing in hybrids.
In the short-term EV's aren't an option. Forget the rest of the world; just look at Europe. The majority of cars sold are small to mid-size cars. Many have diesel engines that are more fuel efficient than current hybrids. Also, I'd say about 70% of drivers don't have a garage to park their cars overnight in and you have a very high population density and transportation infrastructure. So where to charge the cars? Can you imagine the amount to charging stations for millions of cars, not thousands. Most of those would have to be publicly funded to get the ball rolling.
Too limited in range, too slow to fuel. That by itself kills the EV revolution. At least in the short-term (next 10-15 years) and longer in middle/far east. Longer yet if the price of oil stays low.
Hybrids will be the best bridge technology IMO.
07-10-2015, 07:42 PM
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Whenever I see this guy talk or the results of his actions, I'm not convinced he's a visionary. A corporate logistical leader, yes, but purely in an operational sense.
Firstly, "we act, not react" is pure fluff. Of course they react, their growing lineup in the especially lower FWD segments are pure reactions. Second, he gives a passive aggressive criticism towards Tesla's subsidies. M-B's subsidies on their regular cars are the most drastic in the U.S that I've come across. Brand new body C Classes already going for 20+% discounts, etc. If M-B dropped subsidies, their sales would probably tank at a higher percentage than Tesla's, as people would still fork over MSRP to "have a (relatively rarer) Tesla" and make that statement.
And, as usual with big corporate CEO's, they look too much to their "marketing research" (when was the last time you heard a visionary like Musk keep harping about corporate decisions being made on "past consumer actions"..... Tesla wouldn't exist if he did that). Infiniti and BMW have crossover BEFORE. Now with M-B diluting their engineering into upcoming Infiniti's, making Infiniti's cores M-B developed with Infiniti (sporty a'la BMW as he says) engineering on top.... that is what could risk Infiniti being crossed over with M-B in terms of shopper consideration. Happens every time, and then, as usual, said CEO's will have to react, based on previous acts.
Firstly, "we act, not react" is pure fluff. Of course they react, their growing lineup in the especially lower FWD segments are pure reactions. Second, he gives a passive aggressive criticism towards Tesla's subsidies. M-B's subsidies on their regular cars are the most drastic in the U.S that I've come across. Brand new body C Classes already going for 20+% discounts, etc. If M-B dropped subsidies, their sales would probably tank at a higher percentage than Tesla's, as people would still fork over MSRP to "have a (relatively rarer) Tesla" and make that statement.
And, as usual with big corporate CEO's, they look too much to their "marketing research" (when was the last time you heard a visionary like Musk keep harping about corporate decisions being made on "past consumer actions"..... Tesla wouldn't exist if he did that). Infiniti and BMW have crossover BEFORE. Now with M-B diluting their engineering into upcoming Infiniti's, making Infiniti's cores M-B developed with Infiniti (sporty a'la BMW as he says) engineering on top.... that is what could risk Infiniti being crossed over with M-B in terms of shopper consideration. Happens every time, and then, as usual, said CEO's will have to react, based on previous acts.
02-18-2016, 10:55 AM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Mercedes doesn't know what they are doing with their hybrids. They need to stop trying to perfect it themselves and just license it from Tesla.
S400 Hybrid diasater, Click me...
.
S400 Hybrid diasater, Click me...
.
Last edited by Jason B; 02-18-2016 at 11:44 AM.
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02-18-2016, 11:35 AM
#8
MBWorld Fanatic!
I think he is spot on with his comments of EV's and hybrids. You are looking at it from a US standpoint and the limited benefit of a hybrid in a SUV and complete overlook the current infrastructure. Plus most hybrids are crappy, old school designs that are mostly created as a feel-good option for the environmentally conscious buyer.
In the short-term EV's aren't an option. Forget the rest of the world; just look at Europe. The majority of cars sold are small to mid-size cars. Many have diesel engines that are more fuel efficient than current hybrids. Also, I'd say about 70% of drivers don't have a garage to park their cars overnight in and you have a very high population density and transportation infrastructure. So where to charge the cars? Can you imagine the amount to charging stations for millions of cars, not thousands. Most of those would have to be publicly funded to get the ball rolling.
Too limited in range, too slow to fuel. That by itself kills the EV revolution. At least in the short-term (next 10-15 years) and longer in middle/far east. Longer yet if the price of oil stays low.
Hybrids will be the best bridge technology IMO.
In the short-term EV's aren't an option. Forget the rest of the world; just look at Europe. The majority of cars sold are small to mid-size cars. Many have diesel engines that are more fuel efficient than current hybrids. Also, I'd say about 70% of drivers don't have a garage to park their cars overnight in and you have a very high population density and transportation infrastructure. So where to charge the cars? Can you imagine the amount to charging stations for millions of cars, not thousands. Most of those would have to be publicly funded to get the ball rolling.
Too limited in range, too slow to fuel. That by itself kills the EV revolution. At least in the short-term (next 10-15 years) and longer in middle/far east. Longer yet if the price of oil stays low.
Hybrids will be the best bridge technology IMO.
+1
