Mercedes Knows How To Steal Back Luxury Sales Crown From BMW

Jun. 12, 2022 9:25 AM ET by Karl Furlong Electric Vehicles / 10 Comments

The company has some ambitious sales targets for its EVs.

In 2019, BMW dethroned Mercedes-Benz for the luxury sales crown, ending a successful three-year run at the top for the Three-pointed star. Besides increasing pressure from BMW, Mercedes sales were also stymied a few months later when the pandemic started. But Mercedes is once again dead-set on selling over 350,000 vehicles in the United States next year, a goal that a brace of new electric vehicles will help it achieve. This is according to a retailer who attended the brand's national dealer meeting this month. By 2030, the company expects electric vehicles to make up around half of all its sales in the US.

2022-2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan Forward Vision

2022-2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan Rearward Vision

2022-2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan Dashboard

2022-2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan Back Seats

Next year, the brand anticipates that it will sell up to 45,000 units of its EQ electric models. It's a range of EVs that already includes the EQS sedan, but that is a large luxury sedan so its volumes will be limited. More affordable EQ models are on the way this year in the form of the EQB compact crossover and EQE midsize sedan. An EQS SUV will also arrive. Another dealer said that the company's national advertising focus for the next two years will "almost exclusively" revolve around EVs, based on comments made by Mercedes US marketing boss Drew Slaven.

"The purpose of the [marketing] campaign is to say 'Tesla, you had a great run, but now you have to earn it,''' said the dealer according to Automotive News.

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB SUV View Out Back

This focus on EVs extends to the marque's retail network, too. Already, over 300 of the brand's 383 dealers in this country have the required equipment and charging capabilities to sell and service electric vehicles.

While Mercedes' EV goals don't sound unreasonable, it will have to fend off Tesla and BMW's own electrified lineup. The Munich-based automaker already said it wants to double EV sales in 2022, and models like the i4 and iX have been incredibly popular. As these two German juggernauts electrify their lineups, it will be interesting to see if the luxury crown slips from BMW's grasp by the time the year is over.