FRANKFURT (Reuters) -- Mercedes-Benz is open to the idea of creating an alliance with rivals BMW and Audi to manufacture next-generation batteries for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, the company’s CEO, Dieter Zetsche, said on Wednesday.
"There are commonalities between the German carmakers," Zetsche said when asked whether Mercedes would consider extending an alliance formed earlier this year to buy Nokia's maps business, Here, to battery technology.
"Nokia here led to a common approach... and there might be other areas," he told a news conference at the Frankfurt auto show, adding that any such cooperation would most likely start with the next generation of batteries.
Mercedes, BMW and Audi teamed up to buy Nokia Here last month for around 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in the most significant cooperation to date between the rival premium carmakers.
