Mercedes-Benz takes part in the CIIE for the fifth year in a row

German premium carmaker Mercedes-Benz is showcasing an unprecedented lineup of seven models at the fifth China International Import Expo, emphasizing its commitment to sustainability, comfort and safety.

Its exhibits at the event that runs from Nov 5 to 10 are three new energy vehicles, three luxury MANUFAKTUR models and one S-Class Cutaway Safety Car.

This year marks the fifth consecutive year for Mercedes-Benz to participate in the CIIE, which aims to provide a platform to support China's high-level opening-up to the world.

Hubertus Troska, member of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, responsible for Greater China, said the CIIE has been a valuable platform for promoting international exchanges and sharing development opportunities.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Germany, and Mercedes-Benz has witnessed and participated in the continued development of economic and trade relations between the two countries.

"Going forward, Mercedes-Benz is accelerating innovative transformation toward electrification and digitalization. Together with our local partners, we are committed to upgrading the auto industry and contributing to deepening Sino-German business cooperation," Troska said.

Accelerating "electric only"

The three NEVs shown at the CIIE are the flagship EQS 580 4MATIC, the hybrid GLE e 350 4MATIC and the AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+.

In China, Mercedes-Benz is offering NEV models covering sedans, SUVs, compact models and performance vehicles. In the third quarter of this year, its NEV sales, including electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, grew by more than 27 percent quarter-on-quarter.

"The Chinese market is developing fast and we need to adapt fast. We've seen China grow rapidly, and for Mercedes-Benz, it is one of the most important markets in the world and at the forefront of the new energy transition," said Troska.

The carmaker is producing four electric Mercedes-EQ models in Beijing and more will follow soon, including the new EQE SUV, to meet local demand for electric vehicles.

Mercedes-Benz is accelerating its efforts toward an "electric only "future. By the end of this decade, the carmaker aims to be ready to go all electric wherever market conditions allow and is dedicated to achieving a carbon neutral new passenger car fleet by 2039, which is the essential goal of the company's "Ambition 2039" strategy.

Focus on sustainable luxury

Another highlight at the CIIE Mercedes-Benz booth is the top-end MANUFAKTUR models, including the Mercedes-Maybach S 680 4MATIC MANUFAKTUR First.

The exclusive customization service of MANUFAKTUR aims to provide a wider range of product choices for customers with unique tastes. Mercedes-Benz has worked with Qiu Qingnian, an artist specializing in traditional Chinese pigment, to create the four exclusive color names, drawing inspiration from magnificent Chinese colors.

In October, the world's first Maybach Atelier center was inaugurated in Shanghai. The brand will bring the finest experiences to Chinese customers through Maybach's close attention to detail and state-of-the-art technology.

While the company is focusing on luxury and elevating its product portfolio, it continues to enhance the connection between luxury and sustainability. All Mercedes-Benz brands, including Maybach, will go electric, bringing a sustainable luxury experience to Chinese customers.

As China steadily advances green development, Mercedes-Benz is contributing to this process with its "Ambition 2039", which covers all stages of the automotive value chain — from technical development to production, service and recycling.

For instance, by deploying green logistics and using recycled packaging instead of disposable paper packaging, Beijing Benz Automotive Company, the world's largest production hub for Mercedes-Benz cars, is expected to save the paper equivalent of 1.3 million trees in 2022.

Future mobility innovation

At the CIIE booth, Mercedes-Benz is showcasing an intelligent Cut-away Safety Car based on an S-Class sedan, offering visitors a glimpse into its leading innovative technologies and safety standards.

Safety has always been a top priority in Mercedes-Benz's development and introduction of new technologies.

Troska said China is a pioneer in digital innovation, which has brought significant potential and opportunities for Mercedes-Benz to advance car software development.

Today, Mercedes-Benz's R&D network in China covers the most comprehensive fields outside Germany. It has set up R&D centers in both Beijing and Shanghai, the latter of which focuses on automotive software and digital transformation.

Local R&D initiatives enable it not only to better tailor its products for Chinese customers, but also bring innovative inspiration from China to the world, strengthening its global competitiveness.

Automated driving has long been one of the highlights of Mercedes-Benz's R&D capabilities. At the end of 2021, it received the world's first international certification of Level 3 conditionally automated driving system in Germany.

Mercedes-Benz is working on launching Level 3 automated driving testing in China and is in discussion with local authorities to bring this feature to Chinese customers.

Sino-German cooperation

After more than 20 years of development, Mercedes-Benz is deeply rooted in the Chinese market.

While continuously expanding its local R&D and production, it has expanded its extensive cooperation with Chinese automotive companies, technology enterprises, startups and renowned universities.

On Friday, it announced a comprehensive five-year agreement with Tsinghua University to reinforce their decadelong partnership.

The two sides established a joint research center for sustainable transportation in 2012. The center has been upgraded into the Joint Institute for Sustainable Mobility, with expanded research in the areas of smart mobility, intelligent vehicles, new energy for transportation and localization.

In July, Mercedes-Benz and Tencent announced that they would cooperate on cloud computing and AI to speed up the simulation, testing and application of the carmaker's automated driving technology in China.

In terms of electrification, Mercedes-Benz also established comprehensive partnerships with leading suppliers from China, including battery makers CATL, Farasis and Envision.

Over the last six years alone, Mercedes-Benz has invested more than 30 billion yuan ($4.16 billion) with its partners in China.

With the commitment to "Grow in China, with China", the company said it will continue to invest in China, further expand its cooperation with Chinese partners in the industry chain, supporting them to go global and contributing to the upgrade of the automotive industry.