Daimler will accelerate its shift to electric vehicles following a strong first quarter.
The German company believes its 2021 revenues will be much better than in 2020 and despite still dealing with the ongoing semiconductor shortage, it says sales will jump in the first quarter thanks to the Chinese market and its strong lineup of models. Daimler adds that strong orders at Daimler Trucks are particularly promising. Stringent cost management and “disciplined pricing” should also see profitability jump.
Read Also: 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS Drops More Camo, Unveiling Date Is Two Weeks Away
“Today, Daimler has the broadest electric range in the automotive industry – from city cars to heavy-duty trucks. But that’s not enough for us. We want to accelerate the electrification of our product portfolio,” chairman of the board of management of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz, Ola Kallenius, said. “Almost two years ago, we presented our Ambition2039. We want a CO2-neutral fleet of new cars. It’s our goal to reach this target sooner.”
Kallenius didn’t provide an updated timeline for the company’s electrification plans but indicated charging infrastructure improvements are necessary. In fact, to meet the European Commission’s CO2 targets, the continent needs three million public charging points by the end of the decade.
“Today, we don’t even have a tenth of this,” Kallenius added. “We need to speed this up. Daimler, as part of the auto industry, will play its part. For example, we will further expand the Ionity charging network. I am convinced: When industry and politics work hand in hand, we move forward together. We should not focus our efforts only on banning the status quo. We should make possible the new, this is key.”
