Although we have not fully demonstrated the future lineup of Mercedes-Benz new energy models, each of them will still be the uncompromising Mercedes-Benz, and will have the excellent quality and performance of Mercedes-Benz.
Mercedes-Benz expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Chinese market in the first half of this year, and such achievements have exceeded our expectations. In the future, we will create a special platform for China, which will be an important part of our global R&D network.
As a subsidiary of Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz is very eye-catching in the global premium car market. This generation of Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan debuted from the inside out, making the mass production of the large sedan market full of bloody smell.
Last weekend, in a global media test drive called the “New Generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class”, the reporter interviewed the board of directors of Daimler AG in Stuttgart, responsible for group R&D and Mercedes-Benz. Kang Linsong developed by the automobile group.
Reporter: In your opinion, what is the highlight of the new generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan?
Kang Linsong: In the new generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class, we applied 6,500 new parts. In my opinion, this model has three highlights:
First, the entire engine upgrade, bringing the most powerful power output in its class. Among them, the new in-line six-cylinder engine of the new generation S 500 L 4MATIC innovatively adopts the 48-volt integrated starter motor system pioneered by the same class, which not only enhances performance, but also energy recovery, comparable to the dynamic performance of the 8-cylinder engine. And fuel efficiency is significantly improved.
Second, smart connected systems. This model is equipped with a dual 12-inch large screen and combines a smartphone with a vehicle. At the same time, we have developed a new user interface for the new generation of S-Class cars, and the Chinese R&D team has made many contributions during the development process, such as the interconnection of vehicles with “WeChat-My Car”.
Third, the intelligent driver assistance system is further upgraded. The upgraded stereo camera and radar sensor will increase the detection range to 250 meters ahead. The upgraded intelligent pilot limit function can automatically maintain a reasonable distance from the preceding vehicle during highway driving, and predict differently according to the map and navigation information. Road sign.
Reporter: Autopilot and artificial intelligence are the trends of the future industry development. What is the application of the new generation S-class sedan in this respect?
Kang Linsong: With regard to the development and application of artificial intelligence, a new generation of S-Class sedan goes further in this field. This model uses a number of Mercedes-Benz advanced artificial intelligence technologies, such as algorithms for sensor data analysis, and analysis of data acquired by intelligent interconnect systems, including the application of intelligent driving systems, based on artificial intelligence technology. In the future, we will bring a driving experience that suits our needs according to the needs of our customers.
Reporter: In the first half of the year, Mercedes-Benz achieved the first sales volume in the high-end car market in the Chinese market for the first time, but other brands are constantly introducing new products. How do you view the next competition?
Kang Linsong: In the past few years, Mercedes-Benz has shown a steady development in the Chinese market. At present, China is already the largest single market in the world. We are satisfied with the market performance in the first half of this year, and such achievements have exceeded our expectations. In the future, we still have a lot of product plans. We need to be cautiously optimistic about the forecast for development in the second half of the year. China is a thriving market. For Mercedes, the most important thing is that we can maintain a healthy and sustainable growth.
Reporter: Mercedes-Benz has just signed a new investment agreement with BAIC. In the future, the batteries and batteries of electric vehicles will be put into domestic production. In the future, what product development technologies will Mercedes-Benz put in China?
Kang Linsong: From the perspective of R&D, our global R&D strategy is to distribute different R&D sites around the world and form a global R&D network. The Beijing R&D Center has now become a very important part of the Mercedes-Benz R&D network. In Germany, we have about 11,000 R&D personnel; the Beijing R&D Center is constantly expanding, and now it is around 600, and the number of people will increase further in the future. The Beijing R&D Center has a very important task, which is to localize the products and configure the products and configurations suitable for Chinese customers in China. For example, we have long-wheelbase models in China, but this is only part of it. In the future, we will build a special platform for China, which will be an important part of our global R&D network.
We have a strong R&D network in other parts of the world. For example, in the Silicon Valley of the United States, it is the core of the IT industry. We have a research and development center. Tel Aviv is now the center of innovation in the world. We have established a new R&D center here. We do cloud computing research and development in Seattle, and we also use local computer technicians to conduct research in Bangalore, India.
It is expected that from 2019 to 2020, we will launch the Mercedes-Benz new energy vehicle family, and its localization in the Chinese market is also in full swing. The new energy vehicle strategy is a core area that we are currently very concerned about and our commitment to the future world: within 5 to 7 years, we will invest 10 billion euros in this field.
Reporter: For the research and development of new energy vehicles, will Mercedes-Benz derive a new energy vehicle platform from the existing production platform, or will it rebuild the R&D and production platform?
Kang Linsong: This will be a process of taking both paths together. First of all, it is very important for auto companies to manufacture competitive products. Customers may not realize whether the research and development of this product is from scratch or based on existing platforms. From a research and development point of view, for some models, such as SUVs or cars, the existing platform technology may already meet the needs of the new energy vehicles, so there is no need to rebuild the platform. Although we have not fully demonstrated the future lineup of Mercedes-Benz new energy models, each of them will still be the uncompromising Mercedes-Benz, and will have the excellent quality and performance of Mercedes-Benz.
Reporter: What are the development goals of Mercedes-Benz in the next three, five, and ten years?
Kang Linsong: Zero emissions is our vision for the future. In the process of layout of existing products, we must consider the overall carbon emission standards and consider the speed at which electric vehicles are introduced. For the future, we hope that by 2025, Mercedes-Benz will have 15% to 25% pure electric vehicles, they will be completely new energy. If we calculate the total sales volume of more than 2 million last year, this will be the scale of hundreds of thousands of vehicles. Of course, we hope to sell more cars in 2025 and bring more new energy vehicles to market.