Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz: "We have changed course; high-tech electrified combustion engines will last longer than initially planned."

We keep repeating it, but the announcements on the subject keep coming, and the statements from executives are pushing even further in that direction: the transition to 100% electric cars is going to take longer than initially expected . The 2030 target is already a utopia for most manufacturers , while 2035 is presented as a 10-year sprint, and 2040 seems an incredibly complicated destination. And Mercedes-Benz , which seemed to be leading the race until not long ago, is beginning to see how its growth and sales expectations are not in line with the ever- stubborn reality .

And this is the situation in which Ola Källenius , the CEO of Mercedes, finds himself. The executive constantly juggles every statement or announcement he makes, trying to cushion the blow. The latest occasion was in a recent interview with the German media outlet Auto Motor und Sport , where he once again echoed the famous saying "where I say I say Diego" : " High-tech electrified combustion engines will last longer than initially planned. We have made this change of course," the CEO of the German company said.

"But we're also literally using electricity, not just gasoline. I think the most rational thing to do in the current situation is for an established manufacturer to offer both technologies and not neglect either," said the CEO of the star brand during an informal presentation of the new 100% electric Mercedes GLC to the aforementioned magazine.

The headline in the German newspaper couldn't have been more eloquent: "Does Ola Källenius's fate depend on this car?" For the magazine, "if the car fails, Mercedes's electric strategy will fail." These were the words of Birgit Priemer, editor-in-chief of the magazine. That's nothing. The truth is that Mercedes-Benz's electric transition has hit a standstill, and if sales of the new electric Mercedes GLC don't keep up with the rest of the gasoline range, a storm could be on the horizon .

Källenius must know something, and he takes pains to boast during the interview, asserting that he has several tricks up his sleeve: “ The new CLA is the hello of an entire family. Then, the main segments will arrive with the electric versions of the GLC, the C-Class, and the E-Class. We still have many projects in development ,” boasts the Swedish executive.

Future projects that Ola Källenius declined to reveal but that appear to have a common thread: China. In April of this year, the executive attended the Shanghai International Motor Show to boast about his establishment and the importance of the Asian giant, as reported by Forbes magazine: " China is our most important and crucial market for our technical innovations," asserted the Swabian CEO. So important, that he didn't hesitate to assert that tariffs between the EU and China would be counterproductive: " We need to seek benefits for all . A pure tariff barrier is the most blunt instrument that can be applied," the executive replied. That's it.