Daimler: Clean diesel is not enough

A Mercedes hybrid vehicle

While the future of the electrification of the automobile is still murky, Daimler is now fully committed to being a leader. Despite cutbacks in every department, R & D spending on lithium technology has been increasing and will not be cut.

From hybridization to full electric cars, Daimler is now certain clean, high performance diesel will not be enough to carry the company into the future. The battery is now critical to Daimler, and its marquee Mercedes brand.

"It's clear that a dramatic transition period has started," Thomas Weber, head of R&D, tells Fortune "and we want to actively shape it."

Thus, expect a a wide range of mild hybrids, full hybrids and electric cars from Daimler in the very near future.