All future vehicles built by Daimler Chrysler will feature hybrid power as an option, CEO Dieter Zetsche told German magazine Auto Motor und Sport. Zetsche said hybrids are “very important” in light of new European and U.S. regulations on carbon-dioxide emissions.
The German-American automaker’s first hybrid is likely to come from the U.S. side of the company, in the form of the Dodge Durango hybrid. A hybrid Mercedes will follow for the 2008 model year, he said.
While Zetsche’s plan sounds logical, uncertainty regarding the future of the Chrysler Group could change things. If DaimlerChrysler decides to sell or spin-off Chrysler, the plan could turn out differently.
