the reason for the possible movement of Daimler

Daimler, as depositary of the inventions of Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, he is the inventor of the automobile with internal combustion engine as we know it. And Daimler abandons his invention and focuses on electric cars, according to the statements of Markus Schaefer, development director for the group. This news for the industry is a revolution, an earthquake.

After more than a hundred years of development, Daimler would finally renounce his invention and focus on the development of the electric car. So much that Elon Musk, who doesn't lose one on Twitter, did not hesitate to congratulate the company for that step. But what is true in all this? That implications may have for Mercedes-Benz and the industry?

First of all it must be very clear that there is no official statement from the group in this regard. They are just the statements of one person. Of course, he is one of the top leaders of the group. As director of development for the Daimler group, Markus Schaefer knows better than anyone what are the future plans of the different divisions of the group, both Mercedes-Benz, AMG or smart.

And although there may always be a slip or a misunderstanding of his words, at that level of responsibility, an executive does not drop a media bomb of this caliber lightly. That is, although it sounds strange to us, it is quite likely that it is so.

Because right now?

Daimler's decision also has a lot to do with the fact that it is a very international brand. In Europe, the entry into force of new CO2 emission limits in 2020 with an average limit of plus or minus 95 g / km of CO₂ (depending on the average fleet weight) has contributed to this decision, no doubt, but The Chinese market has also influenced it.

China is the first Mercedes-Benz market, in 2018 it sold 652,996 cars in China. And there, the government not only subsidizes the purchase of electric cars with up to 8,500 euros, in addition to other privileges, it also forces local and foreign manufacturers to produce at least 10% of low-emission cars, either 100% electric or plug-in hybrids Otherwise, they face millionaire fines. Daimler, has all the interest of the world in betting on electric mobility.

Daimler will not stop manufacturing or selling combustion engines tomorrow

It is important to emphasize that Daimler will not stop manufacturing or selling combustion engines in the short or medium term, but maybe it does in the long term. In the first place because Schaefer himself has said that for the moment they paralyzed the development of new internal combustion engines, not that they killed them. In the future, if technological and market conditions exist, Daimler could redevelop new engines.

Secondly, because the brand's own development engines, both in gasoline and diesel, are very recent. That is, with a few evolutions, They are engines that can be on the market for 20 years.

A good example of this is the six-cylinder in-line M256, the most recent engine in the group, is more than just a 6-cylinder. It is part of a new family of modular engines developed around 500 cc cylinders each.

This means that 1.5-liter 3-cylinder and 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines can be created, such as the new Mercedes-AMG A 45 4Matic and AMG A35 4Matic. In addition, they are engines that have already been developed to integrate a soft hybridization of 48 V, inaugurated with the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53 4Matic +.

In addition, Mercedes-Benz does not develop all the engines in its range. Yes it does for higher margin models, but trust an external supplier (in this case Renault) for lower margin models and versions; It is the only way to get your bills with those cars. That is, if necessary, you could always buy engines from another manufacturer, it would be nothing new.

And thirdly, Schaefer clarified that the resources would be used to improve current engines and transmissions. In other words, adapt them to an increasingly intense electrification. Which leads us to clarify another point. When a traditional manufacturer talks about electric mobility, it also includes electric cars, hybrids and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).

Electric mobility is not always synonymous with electric car

As always when a traditional manufacturer fills his mouth with electrification, they usually talk mostly about hybrids, and somewhat less about pure electric. So, Mercedes-Benz will have more than 20 plug-in hybrid variants in 2020. Yes, there are the Mercedes EQC (an SUV), the EQV (the Class V electric) and the eVito, van version of the EQV as 100% electric cars.

But to constitute a complete range, covering all segments and with the Ionity infrastructure still in diapers in many countries, Mercedes-Benz will need many hybrid cars and PHEV to achieve that transition. And it has already started with the EQ Power range to the point that they dare with a plug-in hybrid diesel. That demand, which Daimler foresees, of plug-in hybrid cars also explains the significant investment in the production of own batteries by Daimler.

However, that we have internal combustion engines in Mercedes-Benz for a while does not mean that they will possibly disappear. Moreover, if whoever invented the car implies that in 15 or 20 years, that car will most likely be electric (and that is the meaning of the statements of Markus Schaefer), We should pay attention, even a little.

Notice to navigators

In the end, if a manufacturer decides to abandon combustion engines to focus on electric cars, it may not be very important. Smart did it and nothing happened. It was in fact an almost logical move for the brand. However, Mercedes-Benz says it is not a trivial matter.

Mercedes-Benz is responsible for more than 125 years ago, the car with internal combustion engine was imposed. Well, actually, we owe it to Bertha Benz, wife of Carl Benz, but the Mercedes-Benz brand is heiress of that tradition.

And since then it has been one of the brands that has led the technological advances of the industry, advances that the other manufacturers end up adopting. The most famous examples are those of independent four-wheel suspensions (1931), the first crash test programs (1958), the ABS (1978) or the ESP (1985).

Thus, when Daimler implies that the current engines could finally be the last ones to be manufactured, it also means that we are living the beginning of the end of the internal combustion engine.