What began as an experiment today became the main objective of the automotive companies, rushed to meet a more responsible demand in developed countries and by governments that, in some cases, are also more demanding with polluting emissions.
This is coupled with a change in the search for solutions for more sustainable mobility.
Thus, the big brands had to rush their plans and get to work to convert all their vehicles and offer ecological alternatives, stopping using the subject solely for marketing purposes, to bet on concrete facts.
The options that they took, in most cases, were opened in two ways:
- On the one hand, transform the already known models into electric or hybrid, the fastest strategy.
- On the other, launch vehicles from "zero" with new technologies, the slowest and riskiest.
However, the central dilemma - especially for mass brands with presence in less developed markets such as Argentina - is what the deadlines will be to launch their portfolios when there is still much to develop in infrastructure.
The calendar of each brand
Among the massive, one of the firms that put more specific deadlines is Volkswagen. The brand found this option as a good strategy to clean up its image, after the scandal by the falsification of the polluting emissions that exploded two years ago in the United States.
The German launched the campaign 'Electric for all' with which it aims to manufacture accessible electric cars and sell 150,000 new generation models in 2020; To be a leader in this segment in 2025 and to offer an electric version of each of its 300 models by 2030.
For this, it will allocate US $ 40,000 million in the first stage, which also includes development of autonomous driving and new mobility services.
"Now that the planning round has been approved, we are laying the foundation to make Volkswagen the world's largest player in electric mobility by 2025," said Chief Executive Matthias Mueller.
In the case of 100% electric cars, they will be based on the modular platform (MEB, for its acronym in German), which was designed specifically for this type of vehicle. This allows to install batteries of larger flat design, improve the adherence of the car to the floor and allow more space in the interior.
Through all the models and derivatives, VW estimates that this platform will involve the production of 11 million battery-powered electric cars during the first generation of this base.
The plan will start next year with the start of production of the I.D. After the compact, they will follow its variants such as the SUV ID Crozz, which will arrive at the end of 2020, and the van ID Buzz, which will do it a year later. The offer will be completed with a sedan, the ID Vizzion, which will arrive in 2022.
"This project represents a milestone in the history of Volkswagen, similar to that of the transition from the Beetle to Golf," said the e-mobility manager of the company, Tomas Ulbrich.
In the case of Renault, they have the "Drive the Future" plan presented by the renowned industry leader, Carlos Ghosn, who anticipated the introduction of eight electric models until 2022.
In 2020, the K-ZE will arrive, the low-cost model that will arrive a year earlier in China. In addition, that same year, the brand will have three hybrids in its range: the Clio e-Tech (a conventional hybrid or HEV) and plug-in versions of the Captur and the Megane.
In 2022 an SUV with 500 kilometers of autonomy will arrive, and it will be located in segment C. It should be remembered that the brand is a pioneer in this segment with the successful ZOE, the best-selling electric car in the last three years.
FCA also recently launched the 2018-2022 business plan, which includes an investment of 9,000 million euros in electrification of the range until 2022.
It contemplates the presentation of 30 models with globally electrified systems for that date, including hybrids and mild-hybrid.
In addition, in four years, they foresee that 20% of the FCA engines for Europe, the Middle East and Africa are completely electric or plug-in hybrids.
To start with, the first Fiat electric with international sales will arrive in 2020, and will be the new generation of the 500. In addition, the range will be extended with a familiar version of the urban, which will mean a wider offer at the size level.
Electrification will also begin among the other brands in the group. Maserati plans to electrify a third of its vehicles by the mid-2020s.
The new coupe and the convertible of Alfieri, the redesigned sedan Quattroporte and the SUV Levante, will have electric versions. For its part, the new sedan Ghibli will feature a hybrid plug-in variant, while the first 100% electric model will be the Alfieri, which will arrive in 2021.
Alfa Romeo also assured that its offer will be limited to plug-in hybrids, which will add up to six different offers; while Jeep will have an electrified option of each model in 2021. The American brand will offer four fully electric models and 10 plug-in hybrids worldwide by 2022.
Among the massive, another brand with plans is Ford, which today only with the electric Focus in Europe. But the big electric impulse will arrive in 2020 when it launches the Match 1, an all-electric SUV with a range of more than 480 km.
Beyond that, Ford has said it will launch 16 fully electric vehicles by 2022 on two specific platforms. One of them will be for your joint venture with Zotye in China. In total, Ford promises 40 electrified vehicles for 2022, including all-electric, plug-in and mild-hybrid hybrids.
PSA (former PSA Peugeot-Citroën) remained on the sidelines regarding electric cars in a strategy that they themselves have called "fast follower" instead of a pioneer.
The medium-term strategy ("Push to Pass") will mean the arrival of 15 new electrified vehicles for 2021, including eight plug-in hybrids and seven pure electric vehicles. By 2025, all group models will have an electrified version.
The first proposal will be the DS 7 Crossback, in September 2019. It will be followed by the Peugeot 3008 and the 508, the Opel Grandland X and the Citroen C5 Aircross. All models are based on the PSA e-EMP2 architecture for compact and medium vehicles.
Nissan, a pioneer in electrical, has the strategic plan "Move to 2022", from which they intend to launch eight new electric models until the year 2022. However, they hope to increase the sale of their electric models to reach the million units for the year 2022.
The first model of this new electric products offensive will be a street version of the IMx Concept. It should have an autonomy between recharges of 500 kilometers and would have a double power plant with four-wheel drive and a power close to 400 HP.
Another of the fundamental pillars of the strategic plan is the ProPilot autonomous driving system. According to Nissan, they should sell a million units equipped with this system. For this, they would be finalizing the details of the tests that will be carried out by roads open to traffic in Japan next year.
In addition, as the great benchmark of the brand, will continue to promote the second generation Leaf, which in 2019 will reach Argentina.
Another of the brands that put their plans to term is Volvo. And it was one of the first that made it public. On the one hand, it aims for 100% electric vehicles to represent 50% of their sales by 2025.
The first model will be a compact SUV, which will be manufactured in China and will use the compact modular architecture of the Swedish manufacturer.
Mercedes Benz also set a deadline and submitted the sub-brand EQC to commercialize the electric models.
In this context, by 2022, Daimler will electrify the entire Mercedes range, offering customers at least one electrified alternative in each segment, be it a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or an all-electric one.
Of the more than 130 electrified vehicles, more than 10 will be 100% electric. Mercedes estimates that the share of electric models will be between 15 and 25% of their total sales by 2025.
As for the launches, in 2019 the EQC will arrive. The SUV with about 400 km of autonomy and with 408 HP of power.
In 2020 the EQA disembarkation is expected, a compact model that will be located in a lower part of the offer, with different mechanical configurations, with versions of one or two engines, and with a battery of about 60 kWh.
From 2020 will begin the deployment of more models, such as the EQB, which will be a compact all-terrain vehicle that will use the same platform as the EQA and that should arrive at the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021. Just after the EQS will do it, a saloon which will be placed as the flagship of the brand in the segment of the electric car, and whose arrival will occur between 2021 and 2022.
BMW, for its part, expects that by the end of 2019 the sales of its division of plug-in hybrids and electric will reach 500,000 units.
The first electric of the brand, the i3, which reached the market in 2013, has been a financial failure largely due to the use of carbon fiber, which has allowed the development of a car with low weight, high power and low consumption. But this has complicated its profitability and slowed its expansion precisely because it is a car deficit for the brand.
Now, the new generation will focus its proposal with the manufacture of electric cars in a more conventional way. As much in materials as in the own form to manufacture them, since both electrical, like hybrid and of combustion will share lines of assembly in the plants of BMW.
Next year, BMW will expand its power supply beyond the i3 with the iX3, an electric SUV that will be manufactured in China for the whole world. The next step will be the production of the i4, which will start in 2021. It is a sedan that will derive from Series 3, and will be an alternative to the proposals of brands such as Tesla.
The same year that the flagship of the electric division, the iNEXT, will hit the market. Another SUV that will expand the offer in the highest part of the range.
By 2025 there will be a total of 25 electrified BMWs, of which a dozen will be pure electric and the rest plug-in hybrids or coventional hybrids. Mini will also add in this offer with an electric first that will arrive in 2019, and that will inherit the propulsion and battery system of the BMW i3.
The local plans
In Argentina, massive brands also compromised their landing. Toyota and Mercedes Benz already offer two hybrids; Baic and Renault have electric; and the promises of Ford with the Mondeo Hybrid are ahead; Nissan with the Leaf, Volkswagen with the e-Golf and Fiat with some American proposal if they achieve the homologation.
For now, they are confirmed models. You have to see who adds up from now on.
