- The carmaker will increase the number of combustion and hybrid vehicles it offers this year.
- U.S. dealers were told Mercedes would no longer tell shoppers what kind of vehicle they should buy.
- 25 new and updated Mercedes models will arrive in American showrooms this year.
Mercedes-Benz will stop trying to shove battery-electric vehicles down the throats of American consumers and become more flexible with its powertrain strategy, letting the market dictate what kinds of vehicles it should sell.
During a recent three-day event in Stuttgart held for North American retailers, Mercedes executives said the brand will increase its available combustion engine and hybrid vehicle options this year and doesn’t expect the percentage of its EV sales to increase dramatically in 2024.
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“The American consumer doesn’t want to be told what to buy – they want options,” a dealer who attended the event said. “They’re not going to force [EVs] on the market,” another added. “They are going to allow the market to dictate.”
“Every dealer body is concerned with this transition to electrification and whether it matches the consumer’s pace,” president of Benzel-Busch Motor Car Group and Mercedes-Benz dealer board chairman Joseph Agresta Jr. said. “We’ve all seen a leveling off to some degree of customer demand for BEVs. So we should have powertrains that customers want.”
The company will bring 25 new and updated models to American showrooms this year and expects to sell roughly 50,000 more coupes, sedans, crossovers, and SUVs this year than it did in 2023. A key new offering will be the plug-in hybrid version of the popular GLC SUV. There is also a new electric CLA on the horizon, an updated S-Class and GLE, a redesigned C-Class, and new versions of the GLA, GLB, and GLC. Mercedes showed these new offerings to U.S. dealers at the event in Stuttgart, Auto News reports.
During the event, Mercedes chief executive Ola Källenius said the brand isn’t interested in chasing a sales number nor will it reduce prices. Instead, it will “give the consumer more value for their money as opposed to lowering MSRP.” It also wants to drive bespoke sales of its AMG family.
