Daimler to rev up e-mobility drive

German luxury automaker Daimler, owner of the Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands, plans to speed up its push into electro-mobility in the race against US pioneer Tesla and German rival BMW, a report said Wednesday.

Business daily Handelsblatt reported that Daimler plans to market six new electric models by 2020, starting with an SUV based on the Mercedes GLC, to be presented at the Paris Motor Show in September and hitting the market next year.

Daimler plans to launch a new sub-brand of e-cars with a range of over 500 kilometres (300 miles), to be built in its plants in Germany, the United States and China, the report said.

The strategic shift would be subject to approval by the supervisory board of the Stuttgart-based company at a July 20 meeting, the business newspaper said, citing unnamed company sources.

Contacted by AFP, Daimler did not comment on the specific report but confirmed that the group wants to focus more on electric cars in coming years.