2023 Author: Charles Youmans | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-20 18:41
Electric vehicles are on the rise as automakers struggle to lay the groundwork for their all-electric future. It will be very exciting to follow this transition, as companies have to follow a path that no one has ever explored. But, alas, this transition will inevitably lead to some unpleasant consequences - many models will go down in history forever. For example, Mercedes is seriously worried that it will forever have to forget about station wagons, in particular, about the C-Class All-Terrain.
During the Munich Motor Show taking place these days, Mercedes-Benz COO Markus Schaefer said that the station wagon market has been rapidly declining for several years. Buyers all over the world most often give preference to crossovers and SUVs, which means that the concern will have to satisfy this demand, instead of abandoning not the most popular models. Automakers have been investing billions of dollars in electric vehicles for years, but developing an electrified station wagon for a dying segment of the market does not seem like the smartest way to manage company funds. After all, there are others, more profitable for the design and production of electric cars.
Convertibles are also under threat. They, like station wagons, are sold worse and worse. That is, in the coming years, 2 versions of the recently debuted C-Class may leave the market at once. Schaefer says there are many challenges to creating an interesting all-electric convertible. A battery built into the floor of the car makes the underbody much thicker. It will be almost impossible to hide such a "belly" in a convertible form factor. However, the thickened floor can also jeopardize the traditional sedan, loved by all. Daimler's chief designer said today that the designers will have to work hard to compensate for the increased height of the car due to the battery. It is likely that future electric vehicles will combine several body styles in one unique design. On the one hand, electric models give automakers a lot of creative freedom, but at the same time, they pose new challenges.