Mercedes-Benz is set to phase out the EQ brand once the next generation of compact cars hits the market in late 2024, according to German newspaper Handelsblatt, citing company sources.
The automaker did not officially confirm the news, but such a move looks quite logical, since Mercedes plans to completely abandon the use of internal combustion engines until 2030. All new models of the automaker from 2025 will run exclusively on electric batteries, the company has allocated 40 million euros for this transition.
The German automaker first announced the creation of the EQ brand in 2016, and launched its first model, the EQC electric SUV, in 2019.
Recall that in October 2022, the EU approved a complete ban on the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines. The main requirements of the document are that by 2030, new passenger cars will reduce CO2 emissions by 55%, and vans by 50% (in both cases, these emissions are compared with 2021 levels). By 2035, these vehicles must reduce CO2 emissions by 100%.
The EU approved a complete ban on the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines from 2035
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The German automotive industry has sharply criticized the initiative, explaining its dissatisfaction with the lack of charging stations for electric vehicles in Europe – despite the fact that in order to support the transition to electric cars, the European Commission included in the plan to stimulate the development of charging infrastructure (until 2025, EU member states must equip public charging stations on distance of no more than 60 km on the main roads). After all, the EU expects 3.5 million new charging stations by 2030 and 16.3 million by 2050.
Late last year, another German automaker, Volkswagen, announced that it now controls Europe’s largest network of electric vehicle charging stations through its subsidiary Elli. Now the network has 400,000 chargers in 27 countries – a year and a half ago, their number was half that.
Source: Reuters
