Dealer reveals Mercedes-Benz EQ model sales have been consistently low, took 82 days to sell one car.

Mercedes-Benz EQ model sales have been consistently low, taking 82 days for dealers to sell just one car.

【PhoneAuto News】Mercedes-Benz’s electric car sales in the United States have significantly increased this year. However, a new report shows that dealers are struggling to keep up with the inventory level of the EQ lineup, with the sales time of their electric vehicles exceeding the average level for luxury cars.

In the third quarter, Mercedes sold 10,423 electric cars in the United States, a 284% increase compared to the same period last year. Despite the gradual increase in electric car sales, the German automaker’s electric vehicles are not selling as quickly as other vehicles.

According to a report citing Edmunds data by “Automotive News,” it takes an average of 82 days for Mercedes-Benz’s battery electric car EQ series to sell at dealerships. In comparison, the average sales time for the entire luxury car segment is 57 days, and BMW’s vehicles take around 38 days to sell.

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“Automotive News” conducted anonymous interviews with Mercedes dealers, who pointed out that insufficient efforts by Mercedes to deal with the growing competition in the electric car market, as well as the products themselves, are the reasons for the increase in inventory levels. One dealer who runs a Mercedes shop says he currently has over six months’ worth of electric car inventory, while Mercedes’ gasoline cars only have 50 days’ supply.

“The price premium is too high – especially for the high-end models in the EQ series – and there is almost no (leasing) support,” said the retailer. He also mentioned that the EQ models lack the “desirability factor” of some of the company’s classic gasoline cars.

“Our cars have to be cars that people ‘want’,” he said. “The S-Class sedan has maintained good loyalty because it is desirable. The EQS is not something most people want.”

A Mercedes spokesperson declined to comment on internal discussions with retailers.

Dimitris Psillakis, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, attributes the slow sales to a lack of product variety and the relatively new electric car market. Additionally, he points out supply chain issues that prevent dealers from offering a diverse range of products and hinder the entry of some more affordable models (such as the EQB compact electric car) into the market.

Psillakis also stated that Mercedes did not supply any affordable EQB models at the beginning of this year. Although the situation has changed somewhat, he says that electric cars still need time to reach dealers. Other automakers are also facing issues such as inflation and rising interest rates, particularly when it comes to promoting electric car sales in the luxury car segment.

According to a report citing data from Cloud Theory by “Automotive News,” the average time to sell an electric car at the beginning of this year was 36 days, a number that has risen to 80 days by September.

For Mercedes and the entire luxury car segment, this issue is even more serious. According to the aforementioned Edmunds data, the average sales time for luxury electric vehicles increased by 73% in September compared to the same period last year. For Mercedes dealers, this proportion increased by 110% year-on-year.

“The people who are willing to buy have already bought,” said Ivan Drury, Director of Edmunds Insights.

Earlier this year, Mercedes postponed its electrification targets, now aiming to achieve half of its car sales as plug-in hybrids or fully electric vehicles by 2026 instead of 2025.

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