Mercedes plans multiple electrified vehicles for U.S.

Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Dietmar Exler said a long-range electric vehicle to be introduced this fall at the Paris auto show is the tip of the iceberg for the brand's electrification strategy.

"We're going to have way more than one electric vehicle," Exler said, repeating, "Way more than one."

The vehicle to be shown in Paris is seen as Mercedes' answer to Tesla Motors' Model X crossover. The company will display a prototype of an electric-powered Mercedes car with a 310-mile range, development chief Thomas Weber said in Stuttgart.

"The structure is ready, the teams are working and the initial results from road tests are coming in quick succession," he said. Weber said the car would reach showrooms this decade, but declined to be more specific. 

Exler said the U.S. will see more vehicles designed for electrification, not just electrified versions of the existing lineup. The introduction of more electric vehicles is key to meeting regulatory requirements for zero-emission vehicles and the corporate average fuel economy target of 54.5 mpg by the 2025 model year. 

"We have to" have those vehicles, Exler said. "This is a game-changer in the U.S." 

Daimler and European rivals are stepping up spending on electric vehicles to meet new European Union pollution targets and catch up with Tesla. The German government has also announced subsidies for buyers of electric and other less polluting cars. 

Weber also said Daimler would launch its fourth-generation electric Smart car at year end in two- and four-seat variants. 

Daimler offers two fully electric cars under its Smart and B-class models and a host of plug-in hybrids, powered by a combined battery and combustion engine. More hybrid models are in the pipeline. 

The company is aiming to sell more than 100,000 electric cars a year by the end of the decade, Weber said. He declined to provide the sales figure for 2015.

Reuters contributed to this report.