As of: February 26, 2024, 4:30 p.m
By: Sebastian Oppenheimer
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Mercedes wanted to only deliver electric cars by 2030 if possible.
But sales apparently did not develop as expected.
Now some combustion engines are built longer.
The electromobility boom in Germany has recently stalled.
The surprising end of the electric car subsidy through the environmental bonus in December unsettled many customers.
In January, new registrations of electric cars fell significantly compared to the previous month - and the electric car sales forecasts for the entire year 2024 currently look anything but promising.
Both the
Central Association of the German Motor Vehicle Trade (ZDK)
and the
Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)
expect a decline.
Mercedes is also apparently reducing its electric car targets.
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Mercedes is reportedly missing targets for electric car sales
According to a report by the
Handelsblatt
, the Stuttgart carmaker wanted to achieve more than 20 percent of its sales with electric cars in 2023 - but in the end it was only twelve percent.
This meant that Mercedes was around 168,000 electric vehicles below plan, as the report states.
The Mercedes EQE is the electric brother of the E-Class.
© Mercedes
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Internal combustion engines will remain “if necessary until the 2030s”
The plan to only offer electric vehicles “wherever market conditions permit” by 2030 is now clearly moving away.
“The pace of transformation is determined by market conditions and the wishes of customers,” says a statement from the Stuttgart car manufacturer.
They are preparing to be able to meet the different customer wishes: “Whether fully electric drive or electrified combustion engine – if necessary until the 2030s.” According to the
Handelsblatt,
important combustion engine series such as the S-Class, E-Class, GLC or GLE are built longer than usual - and therefore remain on the market for ten years instead of the usual seven.
Mercedes boss questions the end of combustion engines from 2035
Mercedes now assumes that sales of plug-in hybrids and pure electric cars will increase to a maximum of 50 percent of total sales by 2030.
Mercedes boss Ola Källenius recently explained in a
Zeit
interview that there may have been “a bit too much optimism” in the automotive industry regarding e-mobility.
The Mercedes boss also generally questioned the end of combustion engines from 2035.
During the planned inventory in 2026, “an objective discussion” should be held about it.