It stops working in MB.EA Heavy Vehicle EV Platform
Mercedes-Benz has stopped developing a next・generation platform for medium- and large-sized electric vehicles that aims to cut spending in the EV segment amid sluggish sales.
The news was first reported by German Handelsblatt on Monday and then confirmed by Mercedes to fellow German outlet Automobile Woche.
"The pace of transformation will be determined by market conditions and the wishes of our customers," the automaker said in a statement to Automilwoche.
The EA platform was first announced in 2030, when Mercedes promised to offer EVs exclusively by 2021. However, Mercedes said on May 2 that it had bailed out its plans for slower-than-expected EV sales and that it would continue to offer vehicles with gas engines for the next 10 years.
Two versions of MB.The EA platform was planned: MB.EA small and MB.EA Large. It is MB.EA's small platform is still being developed and will debut next year in the Electric C-class. The electric GLC class on the platform is also in work.
EA's large platforms targeted the successors of EQE and EQS, as well as their respective SUV versions. According to a report by Handelsblatt, Mercedes will instead update the eva2 platform used in the current model for successors. The successor to Eqs is reportedly due around 2028 in the form of a more traditional sedan rather than the Jelly Bean design of the current model.
In addition to MB.EA small platform, Mercedes is also planning an MMA platform for compact Ev and hybrid, AMG.EA platform for high performance EVs, and vans from AMG.EA platform for electric light commercial vehicles. At the moment, there are no plans to stop the development of these platforms.