Daimler plans a minimum of 6 electric car models

German automaker Daimler plans to present a minimum of 6, and possibly as many as 9, electric automobile models as part of its push to compete with Tesla and Volkswagen’s Audi, a person familiar with Daimler’s strategies informed Reuters.

The developer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles remains on track to unveil a new electrical car at the Paris motor show next month. In July, the automaker stated it had sped up development of premium electrical vehicles, a section now dominated by United States-based competitor Tesla.

German trade publication Automobilwoche previously mentioned automaker sources as stating Daimler would give market more than six electrical vehicle designs between 2018 and 2024.

German companies are investing heavily in electrical automobiles, a section once neglected by the industry as customers avoided their limited operating range and high cost.

However a growing political backlash versus diesel fumes and current advances in battery technology to increase the reach of an electrical car by up to 50 percent have stimulated huge investments by Volkswagen, Daimler and providers such as Bosch and Continental.

Reuters’ source stated Mercedes would likewise make an SUV model having a plug-in hybrid engine powered by fuel cells, which would have a series of up to 50 km (30 miles) on battery power and would then operate on electrical energy created by hydrogen.