Daimler considering cancelling hybrid 'ute
Click above to enlarge the Mercedes-Benz ML 450 Hybrid
Batteries are an integral part of any hybrid automobile. No batteries means no electric assist, which means no point in lugging around all that extra hardware. So Mercedes-Benz is in a world of hurt as it alleges that Cobasys, the chosen battery supplier for the upcoming ML 450 hybrid SUV, has decided not to fulfill its obligation to the German automaker. You might recall that General Motors had problems with leaky batteries from Cobasys, reportedly leading the automaker to consider purchasing the supplier outright from its current parents, Chevron and Energy Conversion Devices.
For its part, Mercedes-Benz has sued Cobasys and petitioned the court to order Cobasys to supply the batteries in had committed to. Cobasys CEO Thomas Neslage has denied that his company ever agreed to supply the batteries in the first place. If this situation isn't resolved in a timely manner, Mercedes-Benz may be forced to delay the introduction of its first-ever hybrid vehicle.
Update: Mercedes has told AutoblogGreen that cancellation is a worst case scenario and the company is still planning to introduce the ML450 Two-Mode hybrid in late 2009. A mild hybrid S400 is also arriving earlier in the year.
[Source: Tuscaloosa News, Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SPG 8:16AM (8/07/2008)
No hybrid option on the ML?
With a vanity/power boosting hybrid option with no major envirnomental benifit over Blutec how will ML drivers continue to enjoy the smell of their own farts?
A nice looking SUV both in and out, yet some of the owners...
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:48AM (8/07/2008)
Hybrids have big enviromental advantages over Diesel. They produce less NOx, less particulate matter and when done as an economy option (unlike the performance-oriented LS600) they produce less CO2 and use less fuel.
There are plenty of comparisons between the Prius and European high-mpg Diesels done by European press. The Prius wins them all on economy while accelerating a lot better to boot.
M-B says the ML450 gives off 185 g/km of CO2. Compared to 255 g/km of CO2 for the E320 Bluetec. This is a lot less carbon emissions and also means it gets about 17% better fuel economy (per gallon, it's over 25% per unit energy) than the Bluetec. It also runs on gas which is cheaper than Diesel.
SPG 9:14PM (8/07/2008)
The benifits of a hybrid seem to pale in comparison to the damage that building one creates.
Carlos 8:25AM (8/07/2008)
Good I hope they can't make this, stupid Diamler.
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Ian 9:24AM (8/07/2008)
Did someone "goof" in a major way here? I mean either you have a contract or you don't!
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Brandon 9:09AM (8/07/2008)
Multi-billion dollar company didn't leave paper trail for multi-million project? Can't believe this!!
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cheezwiz 9:10AM (8/07/2008)
Wait a sec. Chevron owns the battery supplier that is preventing less-thirsty vehicles from coming to market? I normally make fun of the big-oil conspiracy theorists. They should have a field day with this...
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Quattrofan 10:28AM (8/07/2008)
I was going to post the same thing. An OIL COMPANY that owns BATTERY COMPANY... wow, talk about conflict of interest.
Josiah 10:49AM (8/07/2008)
Hey now! Don't jump to conclusions, an oil company *should* own emerging tech energy interests as they know their days of expensive oil (and high profits) are numbered.
Conspiracy maybe, but without knowing the back story on Cobasys you should not judge.
Rob 10:51AM (8/07/2008)
Oil company? Yes, but the broader term would be energy company. As an energy company it is not a conflict of interest. This would be an example of one of those 'alternative energy' investments by Chevron. As a business they have a bigger interest in using this battery tech to make money than to stonewall it.
why not the LS2LS7? 12:25PM (8/07/2008)
Actually, on Meet the Press a couple years back they had all the big oil CEOs on. Exxon, BP/Amoco/ARCO, Chevron, and I think Royal Dutch Shell.
Russ asked the CEOs, did they think as we see a shift towards renewable energy, did they see their companies getting into supplying renewable energy?
3 of the CEOs said various things from "we already are" to "we will of course keep up with the energy markets". The CEO of Chevron said flatly "no". Which, if you hold a lot of the oil reserves/rights/technologies makes some sense, that's where you hold advantage.
TigerMil 10:02AM (8/07/2008)
It VILL be solved in the courts. Too bad it will take so long that MB will not have batteries from Cobasys.
However, the financial risk to Chevron/etc. might be enough to leverage Cobasys into compliance (or sale to GM). Stay tuned...
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tanooki2003 10:35AM (8/07/2008)
Oh Well
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steve 11:48AM (8/07/2008)
pos oil company buys battery company and runs it into the ground
Travis 2:37PM (8/07/2008)
I'm sure this had nothing to do with hybrid SUV and CUV sales being well below expectations...
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:52PM (8/07/2008)
This mess is likely enough push to make most companies reconsider NiMH in their hybrids. LIons were already a strong contender, concerns with NiMH suppliers will only make LIon look better.
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MONTE 12:55PM (8/07/2008)
Smart business people make money on oil, then buy a battery company knowing the market shift so they will make more money? That sounds like perfect business sense to me and I bet everyone in here wishes they thought like that because then they could be one of the evil wealthy people. Of course it kind of sucks that fuel prices are so high, but you either believe in capitolism or you don't.
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Mi key 5:38PM (8/07/2008)
@ travis
I believe that is a partial reason for MB's change but MB has also realized that it may have made a bad contract with an interest that may not want to see their product get into showrooms or at least may not be a good company at this time.
I wish I could be optimistic with thinking Oil companies would true put the interest of the great over their own. Right now their making record profits not from investing in new technologies, not from finding new oil reserves, but from high speculative nature today and the fact there is no current alternative to the product they have.
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