There is hope that by 2015, electric cars will cost no more than a four-cylinder diesel hybrid that meets the Euro 6 emissions standard. At least, this is what Herbert Kohler, head of e-drive and future mobility at Daimler believes. Kohler also added that: “A few years ago, the price was at about 1,500 euros per kilowatt hour [for a lithium ion battery]. In the midterm we should be at a level of 400 euros.”
According to the same Kohler, Daimler is currently working fast and hard to get more fuel cell cars on the road. As you may know already, the German car manufacturer spent the past year running a test fleet of its B-class fuel cells cars. Now it plans to launch a second-generation of the car, which will use the new front-wheel drive architecture.
Furthermore, Daimler may also make fuel-cell versions of the C- and E-class luxury models. “For gas-producers in general, fuel-cells are a very profitable business-case” Kohler said. “I expect that there will be a network of 1,000 fuel-stations in Germany alone in the mid-term. This means that you will find a fuel-station for your fuel cell within 30 kilometers”
