3d ago

Mercedes CEO calls for ‘reality check’, slamming EU combustion engine ban

www.straitstimes.com

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/46045941

“We need a reality check. Otherwise we are heading at full speed against a wall,” Mercedes chief executive Ola Kaellenius told the Handelsblatt business daily of the 2035 goal, adding that Europe’s car market could “collapse” if it goes ahead.

Automotive Industry @discuss.tchncs.de

schizoidman @lemmy.zip

3d ago

Mercedes CEO calls for ‘reality check’, slamming EU combustion engine ban

www.straitstimes.com /world/europe/mercedes-ceo-calls-for-reality-check-slamming-eu-combustion-engine-ban

62 comments

Reality is that we don't have much oil here in Europe it makes no sense to use a ressource we don't have
- We habe a little oil in Europe. We have absolutely no rare earth metals for batteries. Either way we have to import the stuff we need!
  
  We do have many of them. We just have chosen not to mine them because that creates environmental and health issues and we can obtain them from elsewhere. When we mine them here, then mostly in remote places.
  Cobalt: Top producer is DRC, Europe has a minor local production, mostly in Finnland Lithium: Abundant everywhere but difficult to extract, the EU doesn't produce any significant quantities right now Nickel: Only 1.5% produced in EU, again mostly in Finnland Maganese: This is the only metal relevant for current batteries where there are no (known) significant deposits in central EU, some are around the black sea, industrial production is nonexistent.
  Where the EU is already more present is in the refining of the raw ores. I think the current situation is, while not great, acceptable. As long as many different producers of the rare metals are available and the EU creates reserves of them (it does), it is fine to be dependent on imports for the moment.
  
  we have shittons of rare earth metals, but we also don't want to dig them up because of the health risks and environmental damage. we pay other people to tank that.
No, Europe's car market won't "collapse". The companies which have spent the last 10-15 years planning & investing, and the next 10 years building & rolling out will make the transition and those that haven't will go to the wall.
In fairness to Mercedes they are making some effort. They do offer electric versions for most of their range but they also suck compared to the competition by price & performance. Probably because they're compromised by sharing a platform with ICE vehicles. This isn't the fault of the technology, it's the fault of Mercedes for drawing conclusions from their own bad decisions.
It is also Mercedes fault that they're not knuckling down and solving this issue. Mercedes had better pull its finger out. Or it could whine, spread FUD, or waste money on tangents like "synthetic" fuels. If it chooses the latter, it WILL go bust and have to be bailed out by a competitor.
a car brand often driven by douchebags, has a douche as a ceo, makes sense the target audience.
- No no, in a Europe the douches all drive BMW. Mercedes is only for the wealthy.
I guess we'll just buy chinese cars, then.
If you dont want to change then die slowly. Others will take your place
The European car market won't collapse, people will just switch to Chinese EVs who are cheaper to buy and run and have better options. I think this CEO just overestimates the value and brand appeal of his company. Especially young people associate Mercedes with an old people car.
- chinese evs run and have better options
  Suuureeee. One look at chinese social media shows the opposite. Them suddenly bursting into flames, uncontrolled self driving, you being able to be locked inside them and, like Huawei, it survaling you 24/7. Yeaaah no i'll gladly pass
  Especially young people associate Mercedes with an old people car.
  As a young person, first time i heared this.
  
  US people have a completely different exposure to European brands.
- Because only old people have the money to buy them... german car's are WAY too expensive.
  I buy an asian car with all extras for the price of a german base model, with nothing extra.
- I think most people associate Mercedes with "expensive" and their electric offerings are even more so. And they're not particularly good EVs either cited for problems with reliability. I think that's the real issue for the brand. The value proposition isn't there, not even for people looking for a luxury car.
I think translated from CEO-speak, that means, "Chinese EV manufacturers are currently eating our lunch and dinner with their superior hardware and software and bundling and pricing and we need more than 10 years to get our act together."
This has nothing to do with "Europe's car market." It's all about the market share of European manufacturers. I love them to be strong and healthy, but not at the expense of the planet. Get your act together, you've wasted enough time already.
- And not to forget how they fucked their costumers with the fake emission numbers!
  They really think their costumers are stupid.
  Now they get karma, as it should be.
  
  wasn't that WV?
- When I had my Sprinter van serviced, the dealer lent me one of their EVs so I could go grab lunch. That car was absolute dog shit. Everything about it felt cheap or half-assed. I am sorry but Mercedes EVs are completely outclassed by the Hyundai IONIQ line. At least BMW EVs still "feel" like BMWs.
  
  I haven’t driven any EVs by BMW or Mercedes, but I assume that they’ve improved since they started making them. The new CLA does not look like it’s completely outclassed by the Hyundais: 800 Volt architecture, 320 kW DC charging, highly efficient, decently serviceable drivetrain, comes as an estate. The only advantage the Koreans have is price, and simulated gear shifts on the N models. But in return your car will be ethically produced in Europe, and not made by a company that refuses to withdraw from the Russian market.
The current Mercedes leadership is notoriously incompetent. They'd rather dig their own grave than get with the times. Funny that they are trying to cling to the combustion engine now right after they lost the Chinese EV market.
- Crazy part is that Mercedes makes pretty good EVs - unlike some of the other German manufacturers which struggled a bit, and even though they seem to have the main platform worked out by now still have shitty software. Mercedes software is usable and rock solid - which I didn't expect when we were buying one last year.
  In the area I'm living in here in Finland EV Mercedes seems to be the most popular choice currently - the number of EVs is rising very fast, with pretty much all brands present, but a clear majority is Mercedes.
  
  Isn’t the EQS not up to usually Mercedes quality and got cancelled not a full cycle in?
The "reality" is the problems with combustion engines and burning fossil fuels has been known, definitively, for 50 years or so, and these people, instead of planning for the future, ensured its destruction instead.
The reality check is that we need to be banning cars more than transitioning to electric ones. Build better infrastructure.
- We can't realistically do that. We could aim to lower their usage though.
Reality check: You're addicted to oil and it's going to kill you. Give in to the cravings there is no escape. It's not all bad, we'll take care of you. You could have a shiny new S-Class that can go 300km/h. Who could blame you for wanting that? If we don't keep manufacturing cars as quickly as possible the whole economy might collapse. Give us another twenty years to find the solution, it will be fine.
- Also we said the same thing 15 years ago, but this time round it will be different, pinky promise.
IMO he should "get on a bike". Literally. I keep walking...
What's the matter, big boy, can't compete in the free market? Is your job too hard? Do you need more subsidies? Yeah? Tariffs on Chinese cars? Shall the politicians come over and fuck your wife as well?
I want cars with combustion engines to hit that wall.
In any sane economy, this CEO would be terminated immediately for endangering the company.
Delaying he switch to full EV production is actively hurting the required transformation process they should have started 10 years ago. Further delays will just make the impact so much worse, but that's of no concern to the current shareholders, apparently.
We need a reality check
When you are used to define what 'reality' is.... 😅
- Regulatory capture ultimately leading to lack of innovation and failure..
  Who could have predicted this?! Oh the scientists? The same type of people that talk about climate change all the time? Different type of Scientists? There is like more than one science? How should i have known?! i have an MBA!
I don't know what the law says, but prohibiting circulation of CO2 cars in 10 years is excessive, it would cause a crisis where people stop buying cars that are still being produced and no one would buy those used cars. Prohibiting the selling of new CO2 emitting cars in 10 years seems like a very good thing, and gives plenty of time for the industry to adapt.
- … funnily enough, the EU plans the latter, while some car makers act as if it meant the former.
- Banning sales of fossil fuel cars after 2035 is exactly the plan.
  
  No. Banning sales of non-zero emission plans is the plan, it doesn't specifically ban combustion engines. Combustion engine tech has stagnated like the last 4 decades, though, so it's highly unlikely they'll be zero emission within 10 years.
  This is car manufacturers complaining that they haven't made steps forward for 40 years and are now forced to switch to the technology that made them obsolete.
As silly as horse cars demanding a reality check when confronted with the rise of electric streetcars
- I think it's not silly. It's just the car manufacturers who need the reality check and not politics.
Mercedes CEO shouting from the ivory tower. They're cooked.
We should really start emphasising that there is no blanket ban on combustion engines planned but an emissions ban. If the car manufacturers wanted to and found it feasible, they're free to build emission free combustion engines. Every time they call it a combustion engine ban is an admission that they can't or at least won't build better engines.
- I mean, is there any way to make emissions free ice? Fuel has to go in so it has to come out. I don't think it's disingenuous to call it a combustion ban.
  That and it's not like because the fuel you get to charge your EV is necessarily emissions free either.
  
  E-fuels are specifically allowed by the EU law. This was added at the last second due to lobbying from Germany and the German car lobby. Another option would be hydrogen engines. So yes, it is absolutely possible to build and sell new ICE cars after 2035 but they're unlikely to be successful because of the high expected fuel costs.
  Right now, depending on where you live, a more or less significant part of the electricity you charge EVs with is not emission free, that's true. But there are two major advantages: EVs work with emission free electricity just the same as with emissive electricity. So once more or eventually all of the electricity becomes emission free, which is actively being worked on, the car would automatically become emission free. And secondly, you can control where the emissions happen. Especially in cities carbon and nitrous emissions from ICE cars significantly affect the air quality. Even if the electricity for an EV was produced in the most polluting way possible, that pollution would be located at the power plant and could be controlled or mitigated there.
  EVs are actually particularly attractive with a higher portion of renewables in the electricity mix. With renewables you can't control when the peak power production happens. But if you have EVs and their battery capacity in the grid, you could use these peaks of power production to charge the EVs instead of letting it go to waste.
It must be difficult for them to always hire a CEO with the name Mercedes.
- I knew a girl named Mercedes.
  
  They wanted to set her up for success early. Good parents.
slam.
- Slam badabam, damn weak journalism right here.
- Blasted.
Old technology gets only an upgrade. Should know that ev is a future upgrade. But he's only CEO. So, don't get caught up in the right wing people.

62 comments