Mercedes-Benz breakthrough boosts plug-in hybrid vehicle sales by nearly 70%

Mercedes-Benz passenger cars delivered a total of 227,458 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in 2021, up 69.3 percent from the previous year. Most of them were plug-in hybrids, including smart and Mercedes-Benz vans, with a total of 99,301 BEVs delivered.

Of the 99,301 BEVs, 48,936 were from the Mercedes-EQ brand, up 154.8 percent. For the full year of 2020, there were 48,700 pure electric vehicles across all Group brands, including Smart and Vans. With 99,301 BEVs, Daimler's pure electric vehicle sales have almost doubled.

Mercedes did not provide exact figures for plug-in hybrids, but conversely, plug-in hybrid sales are certainly around 128,000 units, an increase compared to about 110,000 PHEVs in 2020. In addition to the G-Class, Mercedes-Benz cars also have all models on the market as plug-in hybrids. There are no plug-in hybrids in the van, but there is a battery-electric version.

As a result, the share of sales of electric vehicles is about 9.5%. In 2020, it remains 7.4%. Mercedes thus grew, but slower than planned: At the beginning of 2021, it announced a full-year "xEV share" of 13% – in the past, Daimler merged BEV and PHEV under this name, but for now the group no longer uses this abbreviation.

Since the launch of EQS in August 2021, 16,370 orders have been received. However, the Stuttgart-based company noted that EQS only launched in December in the two largest markets, the U.S. and China, "so the dynamic development of new orders can be expected."

Britta Seeger, a member of the board of directors of Daimler and Mercedes, who is responsible for sales, said: "The order volume for the EQS, the longest-range electric vehicle on the market today, is very encouraging, and production of the first all-electric AMG began in December, opening a new chapter for our electric flagship. "Strong global demand for all our brands provides Mercedes-Benz with a tailwind to accelerate into the new electric era."

Based on internal calculations, Mercedes-Benz expects itself to have achieved Its CO2 emission targets for Europe. By 2022, the company expects further reductions in emissions "as the growth momentum of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles continues to strengthen."

Of all drive types, Mercedes-Benz delivered 2,093,476 passenger cars, down 5 percent. The semiconductor crisis was cited as the reason for the decline, with demand "very high in all sectors and in all regions". Mercedes did not say whether the chip shortage also affected the production of electric vehicles. More than 2.4 million vehicles were delivered in 2021, including vans.