Daimler reaffirms commitment to China

By Yuan Shenggao | China Daily | Updated: 2019-09-07 06:45

Company sees monthly August sales in country jump 11 percent year-on-year

Since the establishment of the company in Beijing in 2001, Daimler Greater China has comprehensively enhanced localization in China to cover Mercedes-Benz cars and vans, Daimler trucks and buses as well as Mercedes-Benz Financial Services.

The company has been leveraging its strong local partnerships, which in turn bring wide-reaching potential to sustain its success in China.

Hubertus Troska, member of Daimler AG's board of management responsible for China, said, "We are fortunate to have participated in the impressive development of the Chinese auto industry, and Daimler's footprint here is constantly expanding through strong cooperation with our local partners.

"Together, we are bringing our cooperation to a new level to include new energy vehicles, intelligent connected vehicles and mobility services, to delight our Chinese customers with their evolving needs."

In August, Mercedes-Benz Cars delivered over 60,000 vehicles to Chinese customers, with a year-on-year increase of 11 percent.

This resulted in over 470,000 Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles being sold in the first eight months of the year in the Chinese market.

In its "Year of the SUV", Mercedes-Benz aims to introduce strong Mercedes-Benz SUVs that cover almost every segment for the Chinese customers, echoing its customer-oriented business philosophy.

The diverse fields in which Daimler's operates locally, including its long-term partnership with BAIC Group, represent the automaker's commitment to driving the future of mobility in China.

The companies' collaboration is further expanding with the first localized electric vehicle from Mercedes-Benz's product and technology brand EQ, the all-new Mercedes-Benz EQC SUV, which is to roll off the assembly line at their joint venture Beijing Benz Automotive.

This model will be launched in China by the end of this year, to meet the premium electric mobility needs of Chinese customers.

Furthermore, Daimler leverages the growth potential of the Chinese new energy vehicle market with the advance of its homegrown NEV brand DENZA, in cooperation with BYD. "Styled by Mercedes-Benz," the all-new DENZA X will offer both plug-in hybrid and BEV versions and will hit the Chinese market by early 2020.

In addition, Daimler and Geely are also working on a new generation of the premium smart electric vehicle, due to be assembled at a new purpose-built electric car plant in China and to begin global sales in 2022.

Meanwhile, to provide Chinese customers with tailored mobility services, Daimler's local partnerships also include a premium ride-hailing joint venture with Geely, which has started operations this summer.

Daimler's R&D team in China is one of the largest in the company's global R&D network. Local R&D experts provide fresh and profound insight into the market.

The team has developed product features catering to local demands, including expanding the functions offered by the Mercedes-Benz User Experience infotainment system to China-specific Apps.

In further accelerating localization, over 1.1 billion RMB is being invested in a second major R&D facility in Beijing, the Daimler Research and Development Tech Center China, which will begin operation in 2020.

To further cultivate local talent for the future of China's automotive industry, the company also launched the Daimler Star Education vocational training project. Through this scheme, young people are offered both theoretical and practical training courses in automotive engineering, production and sales, with over 6,000 students having been enrolled by the end of last year.

Since 2007, Daimler has worked on corporate social responsibility projects through the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund in China.

Nowadays, stakeholders, dealerships, employees and customers nationwide all actively engage in these CSR projects, which cover five major areas, including environmental protection, driving culture, educational support, art and sports as well as social care.

In June, the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund announced the commencement of a project with Dunhuang Academy and the China Dunhuang Grottoes Conservation Research Foundation for conservation and cultural education regarding the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes.

With the Palace Museum approaching its 600th anniversary, its cooperation with Mercedes-Benz continues to cover the preservation of relics and artifacts and the restoration of architecture.

Moreover, Daimler is dedicated to making great effort toward sustainable development of this country.

Since 2007, Daimler has cooperated with UNESCO, carrying out conservation projects on World Heritage Sites in China.

In 2017, the two partners expanded their cooperation into sustainable livelihoods.

Their conservation efforts have benefited 11 World Heritage Sites and about 160,000 people in China to date.

Sustainable livelihood projects have directly supported 500 people in these heritage sites.

Together with its Chinese partners, Daimler remains committed to its largest single market, keeping customers' needs in mind, to further contribute to the socioeconomic development of China.