Mercedes Parent, Daimler, Abandons Internal Combustion Engine In Order To Focus More On Electric Cars

Automotive Giant and inventor of the internal combustion engine, Daimler, has announced that it is stopping all future development of petrol engines in order to focus more on electric drivetrains and battery development.

The new development, which drew a message of congratulations from CEO and founder of Tesla, Elon Musk, came from Daimler development chief Markus Schafer via German auto news site Auto Motor und Sport.

Very meaningful action by the company that invented the internal combustion engine. People will remember this day. Respect.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 19, 2019

He says Daimlers “main focus now is on the electrification, electric drives and battery development. It is also about shifting capacity from combustion engine and transmission development to new development areas”.

Mercedes-Benz is slowly making the switch to electric cars. The automaker has started selling its first all-electric SUV, the Mercedes-Benz EQC400 4MATIC, that will travel 200 miles on a full charge. The next set of production electric cars will also be based on the current EQB and EQS prototypes.

Last year, Daimler revealed its intention to buy ₦8.3 trillion worth of electric vehicle batteries through 2030 to electrify all its brands, including the the Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Freightliner, Fuso, Western Star, Bharatbenz , Mercedes-Benz Vans, Mercedes-Benz Buses, Setra and Thomas Built.

Daimler also plans to open six new battery assembly plants around the world, including three in Germany and one each in China, Thailand and the United States.