Mercedes-Benz concept BlueZero – Click above for high-res image gallery
In 2008 Daimler and Evonik announced their plans for a joint venture to produce lithium ion batteries for the automaker's upcoming hybrid and electric vehicles. What may be a combination of confidence in the technology and fear of upcoming CO 2 regulations is apparently prompting the partners to dramatically scale up production plans. The two companies will invest an extra €200 million to expand cell production from the originally-announced 300,000 units in 2011 to 2.9 million by 2013.
By 2013, automakers doing business in Europe will have to achieve fleet average CO 2 emissions of 130 g/km. However, if Daimler remains at 160 g/km – as it is today – it will have to pay up over €2 billion in fines. Producing more electric and hybrid vehicles would allow it to dramatically reduce those fines.
https://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/01/daimler-and-evonik-invest-200m-more-for-ten-fold-li-ion-cell-pr/
2010-01-01T08:45:00+00:00