Mercedes-Benz has finally released its 2022 sales figures with a total of 350,949 vehicles sold in the United States, placing it ahead of BMW with 332,388. However, if you were to remove vans (which accounted for 64,185 sales), BMW would have easily finished on top. The 2023 BMW X5 was the company's best-selling model (82,372 units) while the Mercedes-Benz GLC overtook the GLE this year.

With regards to electric vehicles, BMW can claim a victory in the US. BMW sold 15,584 EVs in 2022: 9,626 of the i4, 5,665 of the iX, and 284 of the i7 (plus a handful of the i3).

Mercedes totaled 12,421 EVs in the US. The EQS was the best-seller by far with 10,365 units, but that includes the EQS Sedan and the SUV. The EQE and EQB arrived on the market late, which is why they only sold 384 and 1,672 units, respectively.

Though the vans helped bolster sales, Mercedes can claim the US luxury sales crown for 2022. As for global sales, things are a bit different. BMW Group delivered 2,399,636 vehicles in 2022, including Mini and Rolls-Royce sales (the latter of which posted a record year in 2022). Even with those brands factored out, BMW ended the year with 2,100,692 units sold, which narrowly beat out Mercedes with 2,043,900 units, including van sales. BMW may have lost the battle, but it won the war.

Both luxury brands saw a sales decline in 2022. BMW's sales volume went down 5.1%, while Mercedes decreased by 1%. BMW and Mercedes each hope to carry sales momentum into 2023 with new EV products set to go on sale.

"We will maintain our course for profitable growth in 2023. The clear focus will be on continuing to ramp up electromobility. The next milestone for 2023 is for 15% of our total sales to come from fully-electric vehicles. With the launch of the BMW i5 later this year, we are taking another important step on the road to electrifying our model lineup," said Pieter Nota, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Customer, Brands, Sales.

"2022 marks another successful year in the transformation of Mercedes-Benz: We more than doubled our BEV sales, we demonstrated our high ambition in electric with the 1,200 km EQXX test drive and we achieved a new record year for Mercedes-Maybach with sales up 37%. In 2023 we will continue our mission to offer the most desirable electric cars and further grow our BEV and Top-End sales,"said Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.