Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG

Mercedes-Benz Group AG (ticker symbol: MBG) reported revenue of €32.1 billion in the second quarter (Q2 2025: €33.2 billion) and Group EBIT of €1.5 billion (Q2 2025: €1.3 billion), while continuing to execute its largest-ever product launch programme and further improving efficiency and productivity.

Group EBIT was supported by strong earnings at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Mercedes-Benz Vans and higher contributions from the Group reconciliation, partly offset by lower earnings at Mercedes-Benz Cars. Group EBIT also included a positive effect of €131 million related to the planned sale of Athlon Group. Adjusted Group earnings before interest and taxes reached €2.3 billion (Q2 2025: €2.0 billion).

Mercedes-Benz made further progress with its Next Level Performance (NLP) programme, with cost measures continuing to support earnings in the second quarter. At Group level, general administrative expenses decreased by 14%, and research and development expenditure declined by 12%, following last year’s investment peak for the Mercedes-Benz Cars product launch plan. At Mercedes-Benz Cars, cost of sales declined by 7%. Efficiency measures also supported the cost position at Mercedes-Benz Vans and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Building on a reduction in fixed costs of approximately 25% since 2019, the company began further intensifying its global productivity measures in June 2026, with a particular focus on its German locations. 

Free cash flow of the industrial business amounted to €1.1 billion in the second quarter (Q2 2025: €1.9 billion), supported by proceeds of €417 million from the partial sale of the Daimler Truck shareholding. In the first half of 2026, free cash flow of the industrial business amounted to €3.0 billion (H1 2025: €4.2 billion), reflecting an outflow of approximately €1.1 billion for severance payments in connection with the Next Level Performance programme. 

The company maintained a solid financial position amid macroeconomic headwinds and ongoing model ramp-ups. Following dividend payments and share repurchases totalling €5 billion in the first half of the year, net liquidity of the industrial business remained strong at €30.4 billion, while the funding ratio of the pension plans improved to 117% from 113% at year-end 2025.

Mercedes-Benz Cars

Mercedes-Benz Cars posted adjusted EBIT of €909 million in the second quarter (Q2 2025: €1,228 million), corresponding to an adjusted return on sales (RoS) of 4.0% (Q2 2025: 5.1%) and thus within the full-year guidance range of 3% to 5%. The year-on-year development reflected intensified market pressure, especially in China, a less favourable model mix, product lifecycle measures and launch-campaign-related costs, partly offset by continued efficiency gains.

Reported EBIT amounted to €49 million (Q2 2025: €783 million) and included impairments of €704 million in connection with Chinese equity-method investments. The effects did not result in a corresponding cash outflow in the second quarter and were excluded from adjusted EBIT. The Chinese market and customers in China remain of high strategic importance to Mercedes-Benz. 

Mercedes-Benz continued to advance its largest-ever model launch programme, comprising more than 40 new models between 2025 and 2027. Mercedes-Benz Cars BEV sales increased by 51% year-on-year to 52,852 units in the second quarter (Q2 2025: 35,027 units), driven by growth of 87% in Europe. Overall, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 417,765 vehicles in the second quarter (Q2 2025: 453,674 vehicles). Sales increased by 4% in Europe and by 10% in the United States. This partly offset a 30% sales decline in China, where intense competition, subdued demand and the portfolio-wide model changeover continued to affect sales. Excluding China, global car sales increased by 2% year-on-year. 

The Top-End segment accounted for 13.9% of global sales in the second quarter. The share reached 14.3% in the first half of 2026, within the full-year target range of 14% to 15%.

The ramp-up of recently launched models is increasingly translating into sales, with the all-new CLA and GLB making a tangible contribution and high order volumes for the all-new electric GLC expected to support further deliveries in the second half of the year. The new S-Class has made a successful start in Europe, with more regions to follow in the coming months. Order books also opened for a broad range of further models, including the all-new electric C-Class, the new GLE and GLS and the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 and GLC 53 model families. Further product highlights included the world premiere of the all-new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé variants and the debuts of the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS as well as the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ as SUV and Coupé and the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 4MATIC+ SUV, all powered by new V8 engines. The model launch plan will continue with the world premiere and start of sales of the all-new electric GLA at the end of July. Following China and the United States, Mercedes-Benz is also targeting the introduction of point-to-point assisted driving in the first German cities by the end of 2026.

In July, Mercedes-Benz marked the expansion of its Kecskemét plant in Hungary. Investments of around €1 billion have doubled the site’s footprint and increased its production flexibility for electrified combustion-engine, plug-in hybrid and all-electric models. The plant is producing the all-new electric C-Class, the first all-electric Core model built at the site.

Mercedes-Benz Cars 
In line with expectations, Mercedes-Benz Cars recorded wholesale deliveries of 419,400 (-6%) cars in the first quarter. Excluding China, global sales increased by 5% compared with the prior year. Growth in the U.S. and Europe partially offset lower sales in China amid model-cycle effects, macroeconomic uncertainties and challenging market conditions. While recent model launches are supporting sales prospects in the coming quarters, the company continues to closely monitor the geopolitical environment, the conflict in the Middle East and its potential impact on global consumer sentiment. 

“The first quarter was characterised by sales growth outside of China, alongside an excellent market response to our newly launched models. The new electric GLC has generated more orders in the first three months than any other electric vehicle in our history, while order intakes for the other new models, including the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, significantly exceed our expectations. Further tailwinds will come from the recently unveiled GLE and GLS, alongside the upcoming world premiere of the all-new electric C-Class. As the availability of our new products scales up, we remain highly focused on converting strong customer interest into overall sales momentum in the coming months.” 
Mathias Geisen, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Sales & Customer Experience

Top-End Vehicles accounted for 14.3% of overall sales. Demand for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) remained strong in the second quarter (+34%) and xEV sales increased by 4%. Second quarter EBIT of Mercedes-Benz Cars was influenced by tariffs, and by lower unit sales and a softer net pricing as well as by efficiency measures, and macro environment. 

Mercedes-Benz Vans achieved a healthy adjusted EBIT margin of 10.4% in the second quarter and 11.0% in the first half. Second quarter adjusted EBIT was influenced by lower sales volumes. Mercedes-Benz Vans sold 93,400 units (-10%) in the second quarter in a highly competitive market environment. Sales of electric Vans increased 32% compared to Q2 2024. 

Mercedes-Benz Mobility achieved a robust adjusted return on equity of 8.9% in the second quarter and 8.8% in the first half. Second quarter adjusted EBIT of Mercedes-Benz Mobility was slightly above prior-year’s level supported by positive effects from financial investments and ongoing efficiency measures. 

Outlook: 
Mercedes-Benz Group now sees Group revenue significantly below the prior-year level based on lower sales expected at Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans. 
Sales at Mercedes-Benz Cars are now seen significantly below 2024 levels, with sales in the second half of the year in the vicinity of H1. Overall sales in Q3 are seen slightly lower than in Q4. To reflect tariff impacts, the company now sees a new full-year guidance range for return on sales adj. at Mercedes-Benz Cars of 4-6%. For Mercedes-Benz Vans, sales are seen significantly below the previous year, with a stronger H2 versus H1. Including tariffs, this leads to a new guidance range of 8-10% for return on sales adj. at Mercedes-Benz Vans for the full year. 
 

Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 453,700 cars (-9%) in the second quarter. Overall group sales were influenced by the ongoing dynamic market environment and especially due to diligent management of stock to counter tariff impacts. Customer demand in the U.S. and Europe remained above the prior-year's level. Sales in other markets of the world increased significantly by 24% in the second quarter, driven by Turkey and markets in South America. 

Top-End sales represented 14.3% of overall sales. Top-End deliveries to customers (retail sales) increased by 5% reaching 69,000 units driven by ongoing strong customer demand for Mercedes-AMG vehicles (+19%) and the G-Class (+56%). Especially in the U.S., customer demand for Top-End vehicles remained strong, leading to a surge in retail deliveries to customers of 15%. As the second largest market, Mercedes-Benz strengthened its position in the U.S. with strong investments including the update of the brand center in Manhattan. In China, Mercedes-Benz retained its number one position in the Top-End luxury segment in the first half of the year. 

The GLC remained the top-selling car globally in the first half of 2025. Group sales of the GLC increased by 9% in the second quarter, while the new CLE proved popular with sales up 30% in Q2 and 66% in the first half of 2025. 
Global Plug-In-Hybrid sales increased by 34% in the second quarter. In Europe, the share of electrified vehicles (xEVs) reached 40%, and 21% on a global level in the second quarter. 

In terms of model changeovers, 2025 is the beginning of a multi-year product and technology launch campaign. After the first models of the all-new CLA were introduced in Europe in the first half, more models and markets will follow during this year. In September, the all-new electric GLC will be revealed which will strengthen the electric vehicle portfolio in the mid-size segment. 
 

In total 15,400 private vans were sold which equals an increase in demand of 22% compared to the previous year’s quarter. Especially sales of the private midsize vans developed positively (+21%). In the commercial segment, sales reached 67,500 units, amid increased competition and a dynamic macroeconomic situation. 
Furthermore, the market environment influenced especially the commercial segment in Europe. In the U.S., sales reflected the planned discontinuation of the Metris (Vito) and the market conditions for large vans with combustion engines where sales reached 7,700 units. Sales in the Chinese market reached 4,600 units. 
 

“Mercedes-Benz Group delivered solid results in a very challenging environment thanks to a range of outstanding products and strict cost discipline. To ensure the company’s future competitiveness in an increasingly uncertain world, we are taking steps to make the company leaner, faster and stronger, while readying an intense product launch campaign for multiple new vehicles starting with the all new CLA.”  
Ola Kaellenius, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG 

Mercedes-Benz's product launch programme starts in 2025 with the CLA, followed by a major upgrade of the S-Class in 2026, an all-electric GLC and C-Class, as well as a string of BEV and electrified high-tech ICE launches at Mercedes-AMG. Overall, sales are expected to gain traction after dozens of new or refreshed models reach the markets until 2027.

To strengthen its competitiveness and resilience, Mercedes-Benz has launched a comprehensive performance enhancement programme – known as Next Level Performance. Through a set of initiatives, Mercedes-Benz Group aims to further leverage growth potential through its direct sales channel, elevate the customer service experience to a new level and to boost revenue quality. In addition, the company will take steps to make its global production footprint more efficient and more flexible. The company plans to cut production costs by 10% until 2027. Material costs will be tackled in close collaboration with suppliers and fixed-cost reductions will continue through to 2027, building on significant progress achieved over the past four years.   

“In 2024, Mercedes-Benz once again demonstrated the power of our brand and the depth of our broad product offering. This culminated in strong sales of our Top-End and Core vehicles in the fourth quarter. We continue to consistently strengthen our portfolio with the biggest product offensive in our company's history starting this year with the all-new CLA.” 
Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. 
Mercedes-Benz Cars sales rose quarter-on-quarter in 2024 to 520,100 units and reached the prior-year’s level. A good sales performance in Germany, China and the U.S. in the fourth quarter led to full-year sales of 1,983,400 vehicles in 2024. 

Top-End vehicle sales grew by 34% quarter-on-quarter to 82,800 units driven by Mercedes-AMG, S-Class and G-Class sales underpinned by solid demand in the United States in particular. The G-Class achieved its best-ever sales quarter after new model launches in 2024, including the all-new electric G-Class. Furthermore, Mercedes-AMG sales in Q4 resulted in a best-ever quarter, thanks to further improved product availability and customer demand especially for the Mercedes-AMG GT and Mercedes-AMG GLC models. Full-year Top-End vehicle sales were below 2023 levels, reaching 281,500 units, mainly impacted by market conditions in China, model changes and weak EV demand. The S-Class remained the undisputed leader in its segment with a market share of around 50% in all key regions. 

Sales of the Core segment increased 6% to 1,167,100 vehicles in 2024 driven by good demand for the E-Class and the top selling GLC models. Plug-In-Hybrid sales grew by 13% year-on-year across all regions, while slower EV adoption in core markets led to lower battery electric vehicle sales in 2024.  “We finished the year with a strong sales quarter, especially with our Top-End vehicles and the G-Class in particular. I want to explicitly thank our customers for their continued trust and loyalty in our brand and I look forward to the world premiere of our all-new CLA models with cutting-edge technology and stunning design.” 
Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Marketing & Sales 

Mercedes-Benz Vans 

Worldwide sales of Mercedes-Benz Vans rose by 16% on the quarter to 105,700 units, the best quarterly results of the year despite global macroeconomic challenges. Sales growth was mainly driven by the European market, with midsize and small van sales up and large van sales on a stable level compared to the previous quarter. For the full year 2024, Mercedes-Benz Vans sales reached 405,600 units, mainly impacted by the planned discontinuation of the Metris (Vito) in the U.S. as well as the midsize vans model changeover in Europe (1st HY) and China (2nd HY). Furthermore, a declining market development of large vans with combustion engine in the U.S. and midsize vans with combustion engine in China has affected overall sales. In Germany and the U.S., sales in the commercial segment were down mainly due to lower demand in the recreational vehicle business compared to previous year. 

Overall, the freshly updated product portfolio has been well received by our customers resulting in 86,300 units of commercial vans sold in Q4 (+10% compared to Q3) and 19,400 units of private vans sold in Q4 (+53% compared to Q3). EV sales in Q4 are up (+59% compared to Q3) reaching 6,900 units sold mainly due to the ongoing ramp-up of the new eSprinter despite a subdued market environment for electric vehicles in Europe. Full year sales of eVans reached 19,500 units sold worldwide keeping up a global EV share of 5%. 
“The global macroeconomic challenges have impacted our worldwide sales leading to a result of 405,600 units sold in 2024. We have closed 2024 with a solid fourth quarter. Our strong and entirely updated product portfolio positions us well in a competitive landscape in all markets across all segments.” 
Klaus Rehkugler, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans Sales & Marketing 
  
 

Ola Källenius expressed his gratitude and outlined his vision for the future: 
“ACEA is one of the most relevant and trusted industry voices in Brussels. I’m honoured to be taking over from Luca de Meo as ACEA president at such a critical moment for Europe’s automotive industry. Thank you to the members of ACEA for placing their trust in me, and to the entire ACEA team who are tirelessly bolstering the standing of our industry with the political institutions in Brussels. 
During my presidency, ACEA will focus on improving regulatory conditions with the goal of sharpening our competitive edge in the digital and electric era. We will work towards fostering a market-driven decarbonisation of our industry. And we will champion international trade that is free, fair and rule based. I’m confident the EU automotive industry has what it takes to continue being successful in the global competition.” 

For Mercedes-Benz Cars weaker macroeconomic conditions and fierce competition, mainly in Asia, outweighed improved product availability leading to adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of €1.2 billion (Q3 2023: €3.4 billion). As previously announced in September, Q3 EBIT was weaker compared with the second quarter due to softer net pricing and a less favourable sales mix, leading to an adjusted Return on Sales (RoS) of 4.7% in the quarter. In addition to tougher market conditions, the Q3 sales mix was also impacted by product transitions, for example the all-new ICE and BEV versions of the G-Class, which will be available in major markets in Q4. 

The adjusted Return on Sales (RoS) for Mercedes-Benz Vans was below the previous year with 13.5% (Q3 2023: 15%), driven by lower sales and in line with expectations. A healthy sales mix supported by improved product substance partially compensated lower sales volumes. Furthermore, cost improvements continued. 

The adjusted EBIT for Mercedes-Benz Mobility decreased to €285 million mainly driven by a lower interest margin (Q3 2023: €363 million). The interest margin was impacted by the interest rate development in a competitive environment. As a result, the adjusted return on equity (RoE) reached 8.9% (Q3 2023: 10.4%).

“Thanks to our desirable passenger cars and vans, Mercedes-Benz achieved double-digit margins in a challenging environment. Going forward, we continue to invest in cutting-edge products while fostering our financial resilience. Sales and the model mix are expected to improve in the second half of the year, supported by further market launches of new models particularly in the Top-End segment.”

Ola Kaellenius, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG

*in millions of €

Investments, free cash flow, net liquidity

The free cash flow from the industrial business in the second quarter reached €1.6 billion (Q2 2023: €3.4 billion) due to the solid cash conversion rate at cars and vans. This was influenced by lower Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) and headwinds in working capital development due to higher inventory levels ahead of the expected higher H2 sales. The net liquidity from the industrial business reached €28.0 billion (end of 2023: €31.7 billion) due to the dividend payment of €5.5 billion and cash outs for share buybacks of approximately €2.8 billion in the second quarter. Since the beginning of the buyback programmes in March 2023, the company has bought back shares for €5.1 billion as of end June 30, 2024. The Group’s investments in property, plant and equipment in the second quarter totalled €0.9 billion (Q2 2023: €0.8 billion). Research and development expenditure fell to €2.3 billion (Q2 2023: €2.4 billion).

 Divisional results

Adjusted Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) at Mercedes-Benz Cars reached €2.8 billion (Q2 2023:

€3.8 billion) on lower sales volumes but resulted in an adjusted Return on Sales (RoS) of 10.2%, up from 9.0% in the first quarter, (Q2 2023: 13.5%) due to a focus on sales quality in a challenging environment and due to favourable material costs. Mercedes-Benz Cars unit sales reached 496,712 units in the second quarter, a plus of 7% compared to the first quarter due to improved product availability in China and the United States. Top- End Q2 sales increased by 6% compared to Q1, but remain below year-earlier levels, mainly due to model changeovers and a subdued market environment in Asia. The availability of Top-End models continues to improve with the all-new electric G-Class1 launched. Sales of the AMG CLE53, AMG E53 and AMG GLC43 models started in the second quarter. Furthermore, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class remains the undisputed market leader in its segment in all major markets. Sales in the Core segment rose by 8% in Q2 compared to previous quarter mainly driven by the E-Class and GLC, the latter of which has retained its status as the top- selling model.

*in millions of €

The adjusted Return on Sales (RoS) for Mercedes-Benz Vans rose to 17.5% (Q2 2023: 15.5%). The lower unit sales were outweighed by healthy net pricing, and a favourable structure, as well as favourable material costs and positive foreign exchange effects. Adjusted Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) increased by 5% to

€834 million (Q2 2023: €792 million). Mercedes-Benz Vans global sales reached 103,435 units in the second quarter maintaining sales at the same level as in the first quarter (-2% compared to Q1). Thus, the division achieved a strong first half-year in 2024, with Q2 influenced by model changes both in the private and commercial segment of midsize and large vans and a phased ramp up of the eSprinter.

*in millions of €

Mercedes-Benz Cars

“As the shift towards electrification continues, Mercedes-Benz customers can choose from a broad range of high-tech combustion, battery electric or hybrid vehicles. Especially our plug-in hybrids are proving popular, with sales up 27% in Q2. Furthermore, every third vehicle ordered in the Top-End segment included at least one individualization option from our MANUFAKTUR program in the first six months.”

Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Marketing & Sales

Mercedes-Benz Cars sales reached 496,700 units in the second quarter, a plus of 7% compared to the first quarter. Model changeovers and availability constraints impacted sales in the first half of the year. Thanks to full product availability of the E-Class, GLC and market introductions of new Mercedes-AMG models, the new G-Class and electric G-Class, overall sales are expected to rise in the second half of the year.

Battery electric vehicles (BEV) sales reached 45,800 units in Q2. The pace of EV adoption eased in important markets as the company focused on healthy growth in a market environment characterized by heavy discounting. An increased demand for plug-in-hybrids in all major regions led to a global sales rise of 27% compared to the previous year.

In line with our expectations, Top-End Q2 sales increased by 6% compared to Q1, but remain below year-earlier levels, mainly due to model changeovers and a subdued market environment in Asia. However, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class remains the undisputed market leader in its segment in all major markets. The company expects Top-End sales to rise significantly in the second half of the year driven by further market launches of the new G-Class including the electric G-Class, several Mercedes-AMG models such as the E-Class and CLE derivatives and the updated EQS.

Sales in the Core segment rose by 8% in Q2 compared to previous quarter mainly driven by the E-Class and GLC which has retained its status as the top-selling Mercedes-Benz model.

Sales in Europe reached 157,500 units with solid demand for battery electric vehicles and with a strong demand for plug-in-hybrids. In Germany, every third customer opted for a BEV or plug-in-hybrid (xEV) in the first half of the year.

Sales in China reached 172,600 units in the second quarter, an increase of 2% compared to the first quarter. The ramp-up of the new locally produced E-Class continues, which received excellent customer feedback and saw sales rising by 41% in Q2 compared to the first quarter. Demand for the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class remains strong with sales up 16% in the first half of the year.

Sales in the U.S. reached 84,700 units in Q2, a significant increase of 27% compared to Q1 thanks to improved product availability of the GLC, the new E-Class and CLE models as well as an increased demand for plug-in-hybrids.

Mercedes-Benz firmly embeds sustainability considerations in the daily business. One aspect is the continued global expansion of the electric passenger car portfolio, targeting an up to 50 percent share of xEVs in the new vehicle fleet in the second half of the decade. And by the end of the decade, the aim is to reduce production CO2 emissions by 80 percent¹. Furthermore, the ambition is to run all fully owned Mercedes-Benz production sites worldwide on 100 percent renewable energies by 2039. By pairing strategic focus with tactical flexibility in this regard, the company remains on course towards a sustainable future on an ecological and economic level. Also, relevant initiatives with respect to social and governance aspects throughout the whole company contribute to a holistic sustainability approach. This includes various measures with which Mercedes-Benz contributes to a "Just Transition", for example our sustainable people plan and several measures, strengthening human rights in the company and along the value chain. By establishing a coordination role for sustainability in the Board of Management in 2023, Mercedes-Benz has strengthened its governance approach to orchestrate its company-wide sustainability management even more systematically and consistently.

“Mercedes-Benz has always been driven by a belief in tomorrow. This pioneering spirit is key so we can play our part in climate protection and to make our business even more sustainable in all respects. We continue to strive for net carbon-neutrality by 2039, and we believe that ESG principles enable long-term value creation.” Ola Källenius, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

*The figures in this document are preliminary and have neither been approved yet by the Supervisory Board nor audited by the external auditor.
 

Investments, free cash flow and liquidity 
The free cash flow of the industrial business increased to €3.4 billion (Q2 2022: €1.4 billion). The positive development of working capital was mainly due to lower inventory build-up compared to the previous 
year. The inventory build-up is a result of the introduction of the direct sales model in additional markets, 
ramp-ups in production due to new model years and high levels of vehicles in the process of delivery. 
The net liquidity of the industrial business rose to €25.8 billion (end of 2022: €26.6 billion). The Group’s investments in property, plant and equipment in the second quarter totaled €0.8 billion (Q2 2022: €0.8 billion). Research and development expenditure amounted to €2.4 billion (Q2 2022: €2.2 billion) due to higher investments for future platforms and technologies, including MB.OS. Mercedes-Benz announced its third Green Bond after two years in Europe. 

Divisional results 
Demand for battery electric and Top-End segment vehicles lifted sales of Mercedes-Benz Cars by 6%, to 515,700 units in the second quarter, and by 5% to 1,019,200 units in the first half of 2023. Sales were boosted by solid demand in Germany and the United States in particular and growth across all regions and segments. Mercedes-Benz continues to remain disciplined with a focus on sustainable growth, even in a dynamic market environment. BEV sales of Mercedes-Benz Cars almost doubled to 61,200 units (+96%) in Q2. Excluding smart, BEV sales even surged by 123%. Sales in the Top-End segment rose by 12% to 84,800 units in Q2 and 15% to 176,600 vehicles in the first six months of 2023. In the Core segment, sales were up 2% to 276,800 units in the second quarter impacted by a model changeover for the GLC and E-Class. Sales in the Entry segment increased by 11% to 154,100 units in Q2 and even grew 19% in the first half of 2023, reaching 317,500 vehicles. 
 

Con gli investimenti nella ricarica pubblica in corso di attuazione a livello federale e statale, l'impresa comune farà leva su fondi pubblici e privati per accelerare l'installazione di una rete di ricarica ad alta potenza per i clienti. Le nuove stazioni di ricarica saranno accessibili a tutti i veicoli elettrici a batteria di tutte le case automobilistiche che utilizzano il sistema di ricarica combinato (CCS) o lo standard di ricarica nordamericano (NACS) e si prevede che soddisfino o superino lo spirito e i requisiti della National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) degli Stati Uniti.

La joint venture mira a diventare la principale rete di stazioni di ricarica ad alta potenza del Nord America.

La costituzione della joint venture è prevista per quest'anno, subordinatamente alle condizioni di chiusura e alle approvazioni normative. Le prime stazioni dovrebbero essere aperte negli Stati Uniti nell'estate del 2024 e in Canada in una fase successiva. Ogni sito sarà dotato di caricatori multipli a corrente continua ad alta potenza, per facilitare i viaggi a lunga distanza. In linea con le strategie di sostenibilità di tutte e sette le case automobilistiche, la joint venture intende alimentare la rete di ricarica esclusivamente con energia rinnovabile.

Elevata esperienza del cliente

La nuova rete di ricarica ad alta potenza eleverà l'intera esperienza dei veicoli elettrici e ne promuoverà l'adozione. La rete fornirà un'esperienza di ricarica senza soluzione di continuità, integrata con il veicolo, basata sull'energia rinnovabile e supportata dalla qualità, dall'affidabilità e dalle risorse delle case automobilistiche leader a livello mondiale.

Le stazioni, incentrate sul comfort dei clienti e sulla facilità di ricarica, saranno situate in posizioni comode, con tettoie ove possibile e servizi quali bagni, servizi di ristorazione e attività commerciali nelle vicinanze o all'interno dello stesso complesso. Un numero selezionato di stazioni ammiraglie sarà dotato di ulteriori servizi, offrendo un'esperienza di prim'ordine, progettata per mostrare il futuro della ricarica.

I piani iniziali prevedono la distribuzione delle stazioni di ricarica nelle aree metropolitane e lungo le principali autostrade, compresi i corridoi di collegamento e i percorsi di vacanza, con l'obiettivo di offrire una stazione di ricarica ovunque le persone scelgano di vivere, lavorare e viaggiare.

Le funzioni e i servizi della rete consentiranno una perfetta integrazione con le esperienze a bordo dei veicoli e nelle app delle case automobilistiche partecipanti, tra cui prenotazioni, pianificazione intelligente dei percorsi e navigazione, applicazioni di pagamento, gestione trasparente dell'energia e altro ancora. Inoltre, la rete sfrutterà la tecnologia Plug & Charge per migliorare ulteriormente l'esperienza del cliente.

Una rete aperta per guidare la crescita dei veicoli elettrici

Con l'introduzione di un maggior numero di veicoli elettrici e l'aumento del tasso di adozione da parte dei consumatori, cresce parallelamente anche la domanda di ricarica pubblica veloce e affidabile.

Secondo il Dipartimento dell'Energia degli Stati Uniti, a luglio 2023 negli Stati Uniti saranno disponibili 32.000 caricabatterie veloci a corrente continua per 2,3 milioni di veicoli elettrici, con un rapporto di 72 veicoli per caricatore. L’NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) stima che saranno necessari 182.000 caricabatterie veloci CC per supportare i 30-42 milioni di veicoli plug-in previsti per il 2030.

Poiché si prevede che le vendite di veicoli elettrici negli Stati Uniti supereranno il 50% delle vendite totali entro il 2030, l'espansione di un'infrastruttura di ricarica affidabile diventerà ancora più critica per l'adozione diffusa dei veicoli elettrici. La creazione di una rete di ricarica all'avanguardia garantirà che l'infrastruttura EV supporti le vendite di veicoli elettrici attuali e previste e favorirà l'adozione dei veicoli elettrici.

Le dichiarazioni dei partner fondatori della JV

Oliver Zipse, CEO del BMW Group: "Il Nord America è uno dei mercati automobilistici più importanti del mondo, con il potenziale per diventare leader nella mobilità elettrica. L'accessibilità alla ricarica ad alta velocità è uno dei fattori chiave per accelerare questa transizione. Per questo motivo, sette case automobilistiche hanno costituito questa joint venture con l'obiettivo di creare un'esperienza di ricarica positiva per i consumatori di veicoli elettrici. Il BMW Group è orgoglioso di essere tra i fondatori".

Mary Barra, CEO di GM: "L'impegno di GM per un futuro completamente elettrico si concentra non solo sulla fornitura di veicoli elettrici che i nostri clienti amano, ma anche sull'investimento nella ricarica e sulla collaborazione con il settore per renderla più accessibile. Quanto migliore è l'esperienza dei cittadini, tanto più rapida sarà l'adozione dei veicoli elettrici".

Toshihiro Mibe, CEO di Honda: "La creazione di servizi di ricarica per veicoli elettrici è un'opportunità per le case automobilistiche di produrre esperienze eccellenti per gli utenti, fornendo soluzioni complete, convenienti e sostenibili per i nostri clienti. Per raggiungere questo obiettivo, questa joint venture sarà un passo fondamentale per accelerare l'adozione dei veicoli elettrici negli Stati Uniti e in Canada e per sostenere i nostri sforzi per raggiungere la neutralità delle emissioni di carbonio".

Jaehoon Chang, CEO di Hyundai: "L'investimento di Hyundai in questo progetto è in linea con la nostra visione di 'Progress for Humanity', che consiste nel rendere più accessibile il trasporto sostenibile. L'esperienza di Hyundai nell'elettrificazione contribuirà a ridefinire il panorama della ricarica e non vediamo l'ora di collaborare con gli altri azionisti alla creazione di questa vasta rete di ricarica ad alta potenza".

Ho Sung Song, CEO di Kia: "L'impegno e l'investimento di Kia in questa joint venture per la ricarica ad alta potenza è destinato ad aumentare l'accesso alla ricarica e la convenienza per gli automobilisti attuali e futuri, accelerando così la transizione verso i veicoli elettrici in tutto il Nord America. Kia è orgogliosa di essere una parte importante di questa joint venture con altre rinomate case automobilistiche, mentre intraprendiamo un viaggio verso esperienze di ricarica senza soluzione di continuità per i nostri clienti e rafforziamo ulteriormente il marchio Kia".

Ola Källenius, CEO del Gruppo Mercedes-Benz: "La lotta al cambiamento climatico è la più grande sfida del nostro tempo. Abbiamo bisogno di velocità, al di là dei confini politici, sociali e aziendali. Per accelerare il passaggio ai veicoli elettrici, siamo favorevoli a tutto ciò che semplifica la vita dei nostri clienti. La ricarica è una parte inseparabile dell'esperienza dei veicoli elettrici e questa rete sarà un altro passo per renderla il più conveniente possibile".

Carlos Tavares, CEO di Stellantis: "Intendiamo superare le aspettative dei clienti creando maggiori opportunità per un'esperienza di ricarica senza soluzione di continuità, vista la crescita significativa prevista dal mercato. Riteniamo che una rete di ricarica su scala sia fondamentale per tutelare la libertà di mobilità di tutti, soprattutto mentre lavoriamo per raggiungere il nostro ambizioso piano di neutralità delle emissioni di carbonio. Una rete di ricarica solida dovrebbe essere disponibile per tutti - alle stesse condizioni - ed essere costruita insieme con uno spirito win-win. Voglio ringraziare tutti i colleghi coinvolti, perché si tratta di un esempio fondamentale della nostra intelligenza collettiva nell'ascoltare e servire i nostri clienti".

”We have redesigned Mercedes-Benz to be a more profitable company thanks to our focus on desirable products and disciplined margin and cost management. We cannot control macro or world events, but 2022 is a case in point that we are moving in the right direction”, said Ola Kaellenius, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. 
“In addition to delivering strong financial results, the team accelerated our pace as a technology leader in electric and automated driving. The next chapter in our transformation will be revealed during the Mercedes-Benz Strategy Update in California on February 22 focusing on the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS).“ 

Transformation accelerated 
Mercedes-Benz expanded its offering of battery electric vehicles to 9 cars and 4 vans, including the new EQS SUV and EQE SUV and most recently unveiled a new eSprinter. To scale manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz cars and vans production network was retooled, and new deals with suppliers were struck. Mercedes-Benz will source battery cells from a new factory built by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd (CATL) in Debrecen, Hungary. An annual supply agreement for an average 10,000 tonnes of lithium hydroxide from Canadian-German start-up Rock Tech Lithium Inc. was signed. In addition, Mercedes-Benz announced plans to launch a global high-power charging network across North America, Europe, China and other key markets.  

Investments, free cash flow and liquidity 
The free cash flow of the industrial business rose to €8.1 billion (2021: €7.9 billion). The net liquidity of the industrial business rose to €26.6 billion (end of 2021: €21.0 billion). The Group’s investments in property, plant and equipment in the full year totaled €3.5 billion (2021: €4.6 billion*). Research & development expenditure amounted to €8.5 billion (2021: €9.1 billion*). 
*In 2021, Daimler’s commercial vehicle business is included until the time of the spin-off and hive-down 

Divisional results 
In a challenging macroeconomic environment, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 2,040,719 vehicles (+5%). In line with the strategy to focus on EVs, Mercedes-Benz had strong BEV sales of 149,227 units incl. smart (+67%). Sales in the Top-End segment increased by 8% driven by the S-Class (+6%) and additionally its all-electric version EQS, with more than 23,400 vehicles sold. Q4 marked the best sales quarter for this all-electric flagship. Furthermore, Mercedes-Maybach achieved a new record year with sales up 41%. Strong sales of C-Class, the top-seller GLC and the new EQE led to a rise in sales in the Core segment of 9%. The adjusted Return on Sales (RoS) for Mercedes-Benz Cars rose to 14.6% from 13.1% in the year-earlier period. 
In the fourth quarter, deliberate decisions to make payments to selected suppliers and the impact of the so-called “inflation bonus” for eligible staff in Germany resulted in slight headwinds and an adjusted Return on Sales of a still high 13.4%.

 “È questa l’occasione per ringraziare non solo la mia squadra, ma anche i rappresentanti della stampa italiana che in tutti questi anni hanno dato grande risalto alla nostra Azienda e con cui ho avuto il piacere di instaurare una relazione basata sulla trasparenza ed un costante e proficuo confronto, condividendo strategie e politiche aziendali in una fase di profondo cambiamento, la più forte nella storia dell’automobile, orientata verso la transizione ecologica e digitale”, ha dichiarato Radek Jelinek, Presidente e CEO di Mercedes-Benz Italia.

Ugo Aiena, Direttore Customer Journey & Digital Solutions di Mercedes-Benz Italia 
Il riposizionamento del nostro brand si riflette direttamente sulla customer journey. Dobbiamo, infatti, assicurare ai nostri clienti e a chi per la prima volta si avvicina ai nostri marchi una luxury experience coerente in tutti i punti di contatto, sia per chi desidera un’esperienza di acquisto fisica che per chi, invece, predilige il canale digitale o la mix tra due esperienze. Attraverso tutte le nostre attività di comunicazione e crm abbiamo intercettato nell’anno un totale di 4.500.000 di persone sul web e generato, attraverso le nostre piattaforme digitali, 55.000 contatti attivi. Inoltre, elemento fondamentale della nostra strategia di online sales, nel corso dell’anno sono state oltre 3.200 le vetture scelte dai nostri Clienti nell’ambito dell’offerta del nostro Mercedes-Benz Store online. Anche i nostri Servizi Digitali sono stati premiati nella scelta dei Clienti, con una crescita del business significativa e continuativa nell’arco dell’anno. Allo stesso tempo, nel corso del 2023 rafforzeremo il nostro posizionamento su mondi che hanno sempre avuto una profonda affinità con i nostri marchi come quello della moda, dell’arte e della musica, continuando ad esplorare contestualmente nuove realtà come quella degli eSports. Tutto questo per intercettare audience, linguaggi e sensibilità diverse e renderle parte della nostra customer journey in una fase di profondo cambiamento nel rapporto tra nuove generazioni, lusso e mobilità. 
 

Mercedes-Benz saw robust demand especially for its Top-End and electric vehicles as customer orders exceed the constrained supply in large part due to the ongoing semiconductor shortages and bottlenecks in logistics. As the transformation towards an all-electric future continues, Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car BEV sales more than doubled in the first nine months of the year (+156%) and increased by 183% in the third quarter.

”Mercedes-Benz once again delivered solid results thanks to the robust demand for our desirable products. In combination with our ongoing financial discipline, we are making the company more resilient and setting the pace for the months ahead, as we continue accelerating our transformation,” said Harald Wilhelm, Chief Financial Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.   

As energy supply uncertainties in Europe and the ongoing COVID challenges in Asia continue to impact consumer sentiment, the company remains vigilant and is preparing to safeguard supply chains and to maximise the potential for reducing or substituting the use of natural gas in vehicle production. Mercedes-Benz continues to see a gas reduction potential of around 50% in Germany if regional pooling is possible. As part of the company’s strategic goal of switching from gas to renewable electricity and other energy sources, Mercedes-Benz unveiled plans to build a wind farm at its test track in Papenburg, northern Germany, with an output of over 100 MW - more than 15% of Mercedes-Benz Group AG’s electricity needs in Germany from the middle of the decade.

Investments, free cash flow, liquidity

The Free Cash Flow of the industrial business amounted to €3.0 billion (Q3 2021: €3.0 billion), impacted by the build-up of inventories as a result of semiconductor bottlenecks, a model-related production ramp-up and logistical bottlenecks. Inventories rose compared to historically low levels last year. The adjusted free cash flow of the industrial business was €3.3 billion (Q3 2021: €3.5 billion). The net liquidity of the industrial business as of September 30 amounted to €23.3 billion (end of 2021: €21.0 billion). The Group’s investments into property, plant & equipment amounted to €0.8 billion in the third quarter of 2022 (Q3 2021: €1.1 billion). Mercedes-Benz Cars invested €0.7 billion in property, plant & equipment (Q3 2021: €0.8 billion) and Mercedes-Benz Vans invested €0.1 billion (Q3 2021: €0.1 billion). At Group level, research and development expenditure in the third quarter amounted to €2.3 billion (Q3 2021: €2.2 billion).

Divisional results

Mercedes-Benz Cars
Mercedes-Benz Cars sales amounted to 530,400 vehicles in the third quarter (Q3 2021: 383,500). Revenue increased by 26% due to strong model mix and pricing, improving the adjusted EBIT by 106%. The adjusted Return on Sales rose to 14.5%. 
Sales in the Top-End Luxury segment made up 15% of overall sales in the third quarter, slightly above the prior-year’s level of 78,800 units (+5%). S-Class sales in Q3 were up in all regions except the U.S., where a temporary internal model year certification delay held up deliveries. At AMG, a sales increase (14.5%) was achieved despite a model changeover for the C-Class variant. Sales of Core Luxury vehicles rose by 100,000 units to 293,300 vehicles (Q3 2021: 193,300). The Core Luxury segment includes the EQE, the C-Class and E-Class, as well as the best-selling GLC, which saw a successor vehicle launched in the third quarter with enhanced product substance. The EQE saw 6,000 sales during the quarter, matching the EQS. Electric vehicles had healthy margin quality, including for the EQA and EQB models.

Mercedes-Benz Vans

At Mercedes-Benz Vans, third-quarter unit sales reached 104,000 vehicles worldwide (Q3 2021: 88,000) despite semi-conductor shortages. Adjusted EBIT reached €0.5 billion (Q3 2021: €0.2 billion) thanks to continuing strong margin with healthy model mix and net pricing. In the first nine months of the year, Mercedes-Benz Vans increased sales of electric vans by one third compared to the year-earlier period.

Mercedes-Benz Mobility

In the third quarter of 2022, Mercedes-Benz Mobility reached an adjusted Return on Equity (RoE) of 15.8%. The new business of Mercedes-Benz Mobility declined slightly by 3% to €14.3 billion compared to the prior-year’s quarter. However, the prior-year figure still included the new business from Daimler Trucks & Buses until the spin-off of the Daimler commercial vehicle business. At the end of September 2022, contract volume amounted to €135.7 billion and was thus at the same level as at the end of 2021. Adjusted EBIT decreased to €0.6 billion compared to the prior-year’s quarter, driven by increased credit risk reserves because of a weaker macroeconomic outlook and due to headwinds in the form of increasing interest rates and the lower volume.

Outlook

The macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions continue to be characterized by an exceptional degree of uncertainty, including the war in Ukraine, its effects on supply chains and on the availability and the development of prices for energy and raw materials. Further effects due to the rapidly changing situation in Russia and Ukraine are not currently known and have not yet been taken into account in our key figures. An escalation beyond its current state could possibly have substantial negative consequences for Mercedes-Benz business activities. In addition, the continued very high inflationary pressure for consumers and companies and the associated central bank increases in interest rates as well as ongoing bottlenecks in global supply
 

Mercedes-Benz is transforming at full speed: On the way towards a fully electric future, Mercedes-Benz

Passenger Cars increased Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sales between July and September to 30,000 units, up 28% compared to Q2 and an increase of 115% compared with the year-earlier period. In the first nine months, sales of BEVs doubled to 75,400 units (+126%). September deliveries of 13,100 BEVs represent a new monthly sales record. BEV sales were lifted by the EQB, with 3,400 deliveries, and the EQE which recently arrived in showrooms in China and saw more than 2,000 units sold worldwide. Sales of the EQS are steadily rising and hit over 5,400 units, its strongest quarter ever. Its SUV sibling, the EQS SUV, started production and hit showrooms in the United States. Deliveries of xEV models (PHEVs and BEVs including smart) reached 75,900 units (+23%) in the third quarter, equivalent to an xEV-share of 15% and reached 215,400 units (+17%) in the first nine months of the year.

“The team at Mercedes-Benz delivered another strong quarter in an uncertain environment. We are enhancing our vigilance and resilience to manage increasingly complex macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges. At the same time, we have good reasons to remain confident, with ongoing strong demand, a fresh vehicle portfolio and further key product launches this year,” said Ola Källenius, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

Group revenue rose by 7% to €36.4 billion (Q2 2021: €34.1 billion) and adjusted EBIT increased by 8% to  

€4.9 billion (Q2 2021: €4.6 billion) as the company’s focus on Top-End Luxury vehicles, battery electric vehicles (BEV) and premium vans as well as a relentless focus on costs, helped to offset lower sales and higher raw material costs.

In the wake of heightened geopolitical tensions following Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Mercedes-Benz has sought to safeguard supply chains and to maximise the potential for reducing or substituting the use of natural gas in vehicle production. For example, Mercedes-Benz has established that in Sindelfingen, where the EQS, S-Class and Mercedes-Maybach are produced, the paint shop could operate without gas supply in an emergency mode. Mercedes-Benz sees a gas reduction potential of around 50% in Germany without impact if regional pooling is possible. The company’s long-term goal is to switch from gas to electricity and other renewable energy sources.

In addition to making Mercedes-Benz more weatherproof against geopolitical and macroeconomic headwinds, the company continues to transform at full speed towards an all-electric future. For example: in June, the Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX beat its own efficiency record and drove more than 1,200 kilometres on a single charge under real-world conditions. The EQS SUV was presented and the EQE was launched in the market. And that’s after Mercedes-Benz, in consultation with its employee representatives, recalibrated its European production network for passenger cars to manufacture its reshaped product portfolio focused on luxury electric vehicles.

Investments, free cash flow, liquidity

The free cash flow of the industrial business in the second quarter amounted to €1.4 billion 
(Q2 2021: €2.2 billion), as semiconductor bottlenecks and supply-chain disruptions led to a build-up of unfinished stock. The adjusted free cash flow of the industrial business was €2.1 billion 
(Q2 2021: €2.5 billion). The net liquidity of the industrial business as of June 30 amounted to €19.1 billion 
(end of 2021: €21.0 billion).

The Group’s investments into property, plant and equipment amounted to €0.8 billion in the second quarter of 2022 (Q2 2021: €1.0 billion).

Mercedes-Benz Cars invested €0.7 billion in property, plant and equipment (Q2 2021: €0.9 billion) and Mercedes-Benz Vans invested €0.03 billion (Q2 2021: €0.03 billion).

At group level, research and development expenditure in the second quarter amounted to €2.2 billion 
(Q2 2021: €2.4 billion).

Divisional results

Mercedes-Benz Cars
Mercedes-Benz Cars sales amounted to 487,100 vehicles in the second quarter (Q2 2021: 521,200). Net pricing improved and the product mix remained favourable, helping to lift revenue by 8%, the adjusted EBIT by 20%, and the adjusted Return on Sales to 14.2%, despite a 7% drop in sales. Strong demand could not be fulfilled due to semiconductor and logistical challenges, causing unit sales in the Top-End Luxury segment to slightly decrease to 75,500 vehicles (Q2 2021: 77,900). Mercedes-Maybach posted a record quarter and S-Class sales remained very strong. Unit sales of Core Luxury vehicles exceeded those of the prior-year quarter and reached 272,600 vehicles (Q2 2021: 266,200) while 139,100 vehicles (Q2 2021: 177,100) from the Entry Luxury segment were sold during the same period. For Mercedes-Benz, the switch to electric vehicles in this segment is gathering pace, with electrified Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars (BEV and PHEV excl. smart) amounting to 57,600 vehicles in Q2 (+16%). Fully electric vehicle sales without smart more than doubled to 25,200 (+134%).

Mercedes-Benz Vans

At Mercedes-Benz Vans, second-quarter unit sales remained close to prior-year levels with 100,100 vehicles worldwide (Q2 2021: 98,400). Sales in the commercial sector rose slightly to 83,000 units while the private vans with 17,200 unit sales, remained at the prior–year level. Adjusted EBIT reached €0.4 billion (Q2 2021: €0.4 billion) thanks to strongly improved net pricing, which helped to partially offset higher raw material prices and production inefficiencies, caused mainly by semiconductor shortages. However, customer demand for electric vans, especially in the commercial sector, rose by 84% to 3,500 units driven by the eSprinter and eVito. Mercedes-Benz Vans significantly strengthened its small van portfolio with the start of customer deliveries of the new T-Class in Q2, resulting in sales of 912 units and with the new Citan, available since last year.

Mercedes me Charge S: gratis 
Riservata a chi carica occasionalmente attraverso le infrastrutture di ricarica pubbliche. L’opzione S offre la possibilità di accedere gratuitamente a tutti i servizi di Mercedes Me Charge e accedere all’intera rete di punti di ricarica senza dover più pagare un canone mensile. In questo caso, i costi di per la ricarica dipendono dalle tariffe del gestore presso il quale viene effettuata. La tariffa S è particolarmente utile per i clienti che affidano la ricarica principalmente con alla propria wallbox, a casa o sul posto di lavoro. 

Mercedes me Charge M: canone base mensile di 4,90 euro 
La tariffa M, si rivolge a chi carica spesso presso le infrastrutture di ricarica pubbliche. Attraverso questo abbonamento è, infatti, possibile ricaricare in tutti i punti Mercedes me Charge ad un prezzo fisso al kWh, indipendentemente dalla tariffa esposta dal singolo provider. 
Le tariffe convenzionate sono in questo caso di: 
-AC: 0,47 centesimi/kWh 
-DC: 0,58 centesimi/kWh 
-Ionity: 0,58 centesimi/kWh 
Inoltre, per chi acquista una Mercedes-Benz ibrida plug-in il primo anno di abbonamento è incluso nel prezzo. 

Mercedes me Charge L: canone base mensile di 16.90 euro 
La tariffa L è per i clienti che viaggiano di frequente e preferiscono una tariffa fissa e ad un prezzo molto vantaggioso. Questo abbonamento consente di ricaricare a prezzi fissi ancora più convenienti all'interno della rete Mercedes me Charge e diventa estremamente vantaggioso per coloro che utilizzano spesso le infrastrutture di ricarica della rete IONITY dove il costo al kWh è pari a 0,31 centesimi invece che 0,79. Il costo da infrastruttura pubblica è, invece, di: 
-AC: 0,40 centesimi/kWh 
-DC: 0,51 centesimi/kWh 
Per i nuovi clienti di vetture 100% elettriche, il canone il primo anno di abbonamento è incluso nel prezzo. Inoltre, per i clienti di EQS, i costi della ricarica presso le stazioni IONITY sono azzerati per un anno dall'attivazione del servizio. 
 

Strong results in the financial year 2021 and a successful start to 2022 affirm the company’s strategic path, even in a volatile environment. “Last year Mercedes-Benz made good progress: We were able to sell not only more electric vehicles, but also more top models: And this, despite the ongoing pandemic and the supply bottlenecks for semiconductors. Thus, we have come a step closer to our goal of becoming fully electric and offering the most desirable vehicles,” Bernd Pischetsrieder, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz Group AG said on Friday at the virtual Annual Meeting.

Successful 2021

Focusing on electric vehicles and growing the top-end segment at Mercedes-Benz has paid off. Four figures illustrate this transformation: Group sales of the top-end models increased by 30%, sales of electric passenger cars increased by 64%, sales of electric Vans 118% and adjusted EBIT of the Mercedes-Benz Group grew by 123%. In addition, business resilience was further enhanced. Despite the ongoing pandemic and supply bottlenecks, the financial year 2021 at Mercedes-Benz Cars, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Mercedes-Benz Mobility was successful.

The Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Ola Källenius, said: “At Mercedes-Benz, we redoubled our efforts to implement our strategy and succeeded in translating this into fascinating products and financial success. I want to extend my gratitude to our colleagues for this achievement. Last year was a challenge, but our team rose to the occasion. We developed momentum and we still have plenty of potential. For Mercedes-Benz, the journey has just begun.”

¹in million €

² Excluding the result from the deconsolidation of the Daimler commercial vehicle business, net profit amounted to €14,180 million.

³ Excluding the result from the deconsolidation of the Daimler commercial vehicle business, EPS amounted to €12.89.

⁴ Including former Daimler Trucks & Buses division.

⁵ Including former Daimler Trucks & Buses division. The free cash flow of the former Daimler Trucks & Buses division for 2021 amounted to   €726 million until the spin-off and hive down went into effect on 9 December 2021.

The Board of Management and the Supervisory Board propose a dividend of €5.00 for the financial year 2021 (2020: €1.35) per share. Around €0.70 of the dividend is attributable to Daimler Trucks & Buses, as Daimler Truck Holding AG will not pay a separate dividend to shareholders for 2021. A dividend of €4.30 is the future reference value for the Mercedes-Benz Group. The total payout for 2021 is therefore €5.35 bn. (2020: €1.4 bn.).

Looking ahead for 2022

This year the company expects to make further progress toward its long-term strategic goal of CO₂ neutrality. With the EQS SUV, EQE SUV, EQT and eCitan models more than 10 fully electric vehicles will have been presented by the end of 2022. Moreover, with the Ambition2039, Mercedes-Benz Cars has set itself the target of reaching an important milestone as early as 2030 on the road to CO₂ neutrality: to halve CO₂ emissions compared with 2020 levels. Here, the most important levers are electrifying the vehicle fleet, charging with green power, improving battery technology and by extensively using recycled materials and renewable energy in production sites. Potential CO₂ emissions are also evaluated as a criterion when contracts are awarded to potential suppliers.

Mercedes-Benz plans to cover more than 70% of its energy requirements in production with renewable energy sources by 2030. The company aims to reach this goal by expanding solar and wind power at its own sites and by means of additional power purchase agreements. As part of its holistic approach to sustainability, Mercedes-Benz is also building a battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim, Germany.

“Mercedes-Benz is going fully electric step by step, and its software capability is growing ever stronger. We are expanding our luxury business and continuing to work on our cost efficiency. We are compelled to do this, not least in view of rising raw material prices. In Europe, we need an active raw material strategy because access to raw materials is crucial for electric and digital transformation, and for the competitiveness of the European economy as a whole,” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

Elections to the Supervisory Board

Bader M. Al Saad and Dr. Clemens Börsig will leave the Supervisory Board at the end of the Annual Meeting. Dame Polly Courtice, the former Director of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and Marco Gobbetti, CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A., have been proposed for election. Thanks to their experience and perspectives in Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) matters and in the luxury goods industry, competence in strategic core areas will be further broadened on the Supervisory Board. According to Bernd Pischetsrieder, Chairman of the Supervisory Board: “The strategic realignment of Mercedes-Benz is based on the conviction that sustainability forms the basis for a successful luxury strategy. Mercedes-Benz is striving for a leading position in both areas. With their wealth of experience and broad knowledge, Dame Polly Courtice and Marco Gobbetti are ideally placed to support us in this endeavor.”

Since the Extraordinary General Meeting on October 1^st 2021, there has been a further change: Dr. Sabine Zimmer stepped down from the Supervisory Board as the Employee Representative as of December 8^th 2021. Her successor as Employee Representative is Monika Tielsch, Member of the Works Council at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant, as of December 9^th 2021.

“In this challenging environment resilience and pricing power are crucial. Our sharpened focus on desirable top-end and electric vehicles, combined with ongoing cost discipline, allowed us to deliver strong earnings despite numerous headwinds,” said Harald Wilhelm, Chief Financial Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. “On this foundation we continue to transform our business by growing the luxury business, scaling up production of electric vehicles and accelerating software development.”

Group EBIT rose 11% to €5.2 billion (Q1 2021: €4.7 billion). Earnings were impacted by a positive €918 million gain from the sale of Canadian own retail operations and the partial sale of MB Grand Prix, nearly offsetting €709 million in expenses tied to adjustments of industrial business activities in Russia and €281 million in expenses related to diesel vehicles.

In the wake of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Mercedes-Benz suspended the export of passenger cars, vans and spare parts to Russia and halted local manufacturing. Furthermore, the company is in close contact with suppliers that have exposure to Ukraine with a view to safeguarding supply chains. This includes among other things, transferring production to other locations within the supplier network. Mercedes-Benz has adapted shift plans at some plants and taking advantage of its flexible manufacturing system to avoid downtime and maintain production.

Mercedes-Benz reasserted its claim to leadership in the electric era. In April, the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX demonstrated world-beating efficiency by driving more than 1,000 kilometres on a single charge under real-world conditions. The EQS SUV was presented and the EQE was launched in the market. That’s after Mercedes-Benz opened a new battery plant in the United States in the first quarter, as part of a broader push to ramp up global production of electric vehicles this year.

* from continuing operations

**in millions of €

Investments, free cash flow and liquidity

The free cash flow of the industrial business in the first quarter amounted to €1,216 million (Q1 2021: €1,297 million). The adjusted free cash flow of the industrial business was €1,210 million (Q1 2021: €2,505 million). The net liquidity of the industrial business amounted to €22,706 million (end of 2021: €21,005 million). The Group’s investments in property, plant and equipment in the first quarter totalled €855 million (Q1 2021: €1,186 million). Of this amount €0.8 billion (Q1 2021 €1.1 billion) was attributable to Mercedes-Benz Cars and €18 million to Mercedes-Benz Vans (Q1 2021: €29 million). Research & development expenditure amounted to €1,979 million (Q1 2021: €2,414 million) including important upfront investments in future products. At €1.9 billion (Q1 2021: €1.9 billion), Mercedes-Benz Cars accounted for a majority of the research and development expenditure. During the reporting period, Mercedes-Benz Vans had research and development expenditure of €84 million (Q1 2021 €119 million.)

Divisional results

Despite strong demand, sales at the Mercedes-Benz Cars decreased by 10% to 487,008 vehicles (Q1 2021: 538,869) mainly due to semiconductor supply bottlenecks, COVID-19 lockdowns as well as the war in Ukraine. Nonetheless, revenue rose 8% highlighting the pricing power and ability to improve product mix even in volatile markets. Deliveries of top-end vehicles, which include Mercedes-Maybach, Mercedes-AMG, G-Class, S-Class, GLS and EQS, rose 5% to 78,000 vehicles during the same period. Top-end vehicles now account for 16% of overall volume. Sales of Mercedes-Benz Cars hybrid and electric models rose 19% during the quarter to 74,000 vehicles.

This resulted in a 21% rise in adjusted EBIT to €4,243 million and an adjusted Return on Sales of 16.4%. The adjusted CFBIT decreased to €1.7 billion due to working capital effects caused mainly by semiconductor supply constraints as well as logistics issues related to Ukraine/Russia and China.

stated Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

The following figures for the financial year 2021 are preliminary and unaudited:

-       Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans expects an adjusted EBIT in the magnitude of 14.0bn Euros and an adjusted Return on Sales of approximately 12.7% 
(guidance: 10 to 12%)

-       Mercedes-Benz Mobility reached an adjusted EBIT in the magnitude of 3.4bn Euros and an adjusted Return on Equity (RoE) of approximately 22.0% 
(guidance: 20 to 22%)

-       Industrial Free Cash Flow in the new group structure (segment Daimler Trucks & Buses included until December 09th, 2021) is now expected at prior year level, in the vicinity of 8.5bn Euros
(guidance: slightly below previous year)

The higher than expected profitability supported the positive cash flow development, while working capital increased at year end mainly due to lower payables.

With the disclosure of the third quarter results, the company has stated that it expects to have considerable positive effects on Group EBIT in the fourth quarter from deconsolidation due to the spin-off of the Daimler commercial vehicle business. The company now expects this effect on Group EBIT in the order of magnitude of 9 to 10bn Euros. This one-time EBIT effect has no impact on the Cash Flow and no material impact on taxes. It is the perspective of the management that this pure valuation effect should be excluded from the basis for determining the dividend proposal.

At the current point of time - due to various effects of the deconsolidation of the Daimler commercial vehicle business - group financials are not yet available.

The Annual Results Conference for the financial year 2021 will be on February 24th, 2022. The Annual Report 2021 will be disclosed on March 11th, 2022.

The terms EBIT, EBIT adjusted, Return on Sales (RoS) adjusted, Return on Equity (RoE) adjusted and Industrial Free Cash Flow are defined on pp. 43 and 44 of the Daimler Annual Report 2020.

Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG: “The renaming to Mercedes-Benz Group AG underlines our renewed strategic focus. In doing so, we want to make clear where we see the core of our company – building the most desirable cars in the world. The Mercedes star has always been a promise for the future: Changing the present in order to improve it. We want to continue this legacy of our founders by taking the lead in electric mobility and vehicle software.”

Parallel to the renaming of Daimler AG, Daimler Mobility AG is also adapting its brand: Under the name Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG, the company offers mobility services for passenger cars and vans in the areas of financing, leasing and insurance. In addition, the finance and mobility division enables Mercedes-Benz customers to use their vehicles flexibly via rental and subscription models, fleet management and digital services for charging and payment.

With the renaming of Daimler, the company completes its historic realignment that began last year and has been approved by the shareholders with an overwhelming majority. On December 10, 2021, Daimler Truck Holding AG was launched as an independent company on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The new Mercedes-Benz Group is thus fully concentrating on its passenger car brands Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes-EQ as well as vans. As a focused manufacturer with the most valuable luxury automotive brand in the world, the Group will be able to fully develop its economic potential in the future and better exploit its competitive strengths. Following the realignment of the original Daimler Group, Mercedes-Benz Group still holds a minority stake of 35% in Daimler Truck Holding AG, of this, around 5% are held in its pension assets. 

Mercedes-Benz è pronta ad offrire un portfolio di vetture esclusivamente elettriche entro il 2030, ove le condizioni di mercato lo permetteranno. Attraverso la cooperazione con aziende leader del settore che stanno rapidamente sviluppando la tecnologia di batterie allo stato solido, Mercedes-Benz sta spingendo avanti le sue attività di ricerca e sviluppo, promuovendo ulteriori salti tecnologici nel campo delle batterie ed espandendo continuamente la sua rete di partner tecnologici di alto livello per assicurarsi l’accesso alle tecnologie più aggiornate.

Attraverso il proprio impegno nella ricerca e sviluppo nel campo delle batterie allo stato solido e il suo know-how produttivo, ProLogium rappresenta un partner forte per Mercedes Benz nel mantenere il suo ruolo di leader nella tecnologia delle batterie.

Markus Schäfer, Membro del Board of Management di Daimler AG e Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsabile Development e Procurement ha dichiarato: “Siamo convinti che autonomia ed efficienza siano i nuovi parametri di riferimento del settore per le auto elettriche. La tecnologia allo stato solido aiuta a ridurre le dimensioni e il peso della batteria. Questo è il motivo per cui stiamo collaborando con aziende come ProLogium, per garantire che Mercedes-Benz continui ad aprire nuove strade nel settore automobilistico - a beneficio dei nostri clienti."

"Stiamo lavorando con Mercedes-Benz sui test delle nostre celle batterie EV dal 2016 e siamo entusiasti di rafforzare ed espandere la nostra partnership", ha dichiarato Vincent Yang, CEO e fondatore di ProLogium Technology. "Attraverso il lavoro congiunto con Mercedes-Benz ci aspettiamo di dimostrare l'effettiva applicazione delle nostre celle per batterie allo stato solido, sicure e ad alte prestazioni, in grado di soddisfare i massimi standard di qualità di Mercedes. In ProLogium, crediamo che la tecnologia innovativa debba essere sostenuta dalla scalabilità nella produzione. Non vediamo l'ora di avviare il nostro nuovo impianto entro la fine del 2022 e di lavorare con i nostri clienti verso una produzione di massa di successo".

In base all'accordo, Mercedes-Benz prenderà un posto nel consiglio di amministrazione di ProLogium. L'investimento di Mercedes-Benz sarà utilizzato per sostenere lo sviluppo della tecnologia e il piano di ProLogium di sviluppare un polo produttivo in Europa. 

“Luminar is the perfect addition to our existing roster of first-class cooperations with leading and cutting–edge tech companies. Mercedes-Benz’s achievement of SAE Level 3 already marked a huge milestone for automated driving and I am absolutely convinced that partnerships will increase our level of ambition for what is possible in future. Cooperation is an essential part of Mercedes-Benz’s strategy. Therefore, I am highly delighted to have Austin Russell and Luminar on board for our journey,” says Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Procurement.

“This partnership is a landmark moment in the industry, demonstrating how substantially increased safety and autonomous driving functions on consumer vehicles are going from sci-fi to mainstream,” said Austin Russell, Founder and CEO of Luminar. “Mercedes-Benz has always been a technological leader and first mover for the industry, with the brand synonymous with automotive innovation, safety, luxury, and quality.”

“Luminar si integra perfettamente nel nostro attuale elenco di collaborazioni di alto livello con aziende tecnologiche leader e all'avanguardia. Il raggiungimento da parte di Mercedes-Benz del livello SAE 3 ha già segnato un'enorme pietra miliare per la guida automatizzata e sono assolutamente convinto che le partnership aumenteranno la nostra ambizione per ciò che sarà possibile in futuro. La cooperazione è una parte essenziale della strategia di Mercedes-Benz, pertanto, sono estremamente lieto di avere Austin Russell e Luminar a bordo per il nostro viaggio", ha dichiarato Markus Schäfer, membro del consiglio di amministrazione di Daimler AG e Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsabile Development e Procurement.

"Questa partnership è un momento fondamentale per il settore, a dimostrazione di come la sicurezza e le funzioni di guida autonoma sostanzialmente aumentate su automobili di uso comune stiano passando dalla fantascienza al mainstream", ha dichiarato Austin Russell, fondatore e CEO di Luminar. "Mercedes-Benz è sempre stata un leader tecnologico e un motore primario per il settore, un marchio sinonimo di innovazione automobilistica, sicurezza, lusso e qualità."

Nell'ambito della partnership, Mercedes-Benz consentirà a Luminar di adottare un approccio di sviluppo basato sui dati per il miglioramento e gli aggiornamenti continui del prodotto.

La guida automatizzata e la sicurezza in Mercedes-Benz

La sicurezza è un elemento centrale del marchio Mercedes-Benz, che da quasi 70 anni detta il passo nello sviluppo di dispositivi di sicurezza attivi e passivi in campo automobilistico, non solo a vantaggio dei clienti Mercedes, ma anche per quello degli altri utenti della strada . I sistemi avanzati di assistenza alla guida possono semplificare la vita in molte situazioni quotidiane. Sistemi sofisticati forniscono un'assistenza adeguata per il controllo della velocità di crociera, il controllo della distanza, lo sterzo e il cambio di corsia. Con DRIVE PILOT Mercedes-Benz offrirà ai clienti la guida automatizzata condizionata (Livello 3 SAE) per un nuovo livello di lusso. Nel dicembre 2021 Mercedes-Benz è stata la prima casa automobilistica al mondo a ottenere l'approvazione del sistema valida a livello internazionale per la guida automatizzata condizionata (SAE livello 3), segnando una pietra miliare nello sviluppo automobilistico. Il sistema di guida automatizzato DRIVE PILOT dell'azienda entrerà in produzione in serie quest'anno, a bordo di Classe S ed EQS.

About Luminar Technologies

Luminar è un'azienda globale di tecnologia automobilistica che inaugura una nuova era nella sicurezza e guida autonoma dei veicoli. Negli ultimi dieci anni, Luminar ha costruito una piattaforma hardware e software avanzata per i suoi oltre 50 partner del settore, tra cui la maggior parte degli OEM automobilistici globali. Da Volvo Cars per le automobili e Daimler Truck AG per i trucks, ai partner tecnologici NVIDIA e Intel Mobileye, Luminar è la prima azienda di tecnologia automobilistica ad abilitare la sicurezza di nuova generazione e capacità di guida autonoma per i veicoli di larga produzione. Per ulteriori informazioni: www.luminartech.com.

Nel mercato PHEV, i numeri premiano un’offerta estremamente ricca e diversificata, distribuita su tutti i segmenti, dalla Classe A ai grandi SUV, che ha visto protagonista la GLE 350 de che, seppur posizionata nella parte più luxury del mercato, quella esente da incentivi, con ben 2.655 unità immatricolate tra SUV (1.647 unità) e Coupé (1.008), rappresenta da sola il 3,9% dell’intero mercato PHEV in Italia.

Nel canale BEV, con 1.079 unità immatricolate (+ 16 unità di eVito Tourer), Mercedes-EQ si posiziona al primo posto tra i German premium, grazie anche all’ottima performance della nuova EQA che, a meno di un anno dal lancio, è stata scelta da ben 722 e-driver. A questi numeri si aggiungono le 6.875 smart vendute nel 2021, che confermano la EQ fortwo (6.162 unità) come il modello estero, full electric, più venduto in Italia.

A sottolineare la forte dedizione della Stella nel favorire il processo di transizione verso la mobilità elettrica, ci sono anche le 5.435 wallbox di ricarica installate a casa dei clienti che, dal 2018 ad oggi, hanno acquistato un’auto elettrica, cui si aggiungono i point of charge disponibili presso la rete dealer italiana e i punti di ricarica aperti al pubblico attraverso un network di autorimesse convenzionate, nelle principali città italiane.

Nel 2022 il portfolio di vetture 100% elettriche firmate Mercedes è destinato a crescere ancora con il debutto della nuova EQE, disponibile anche in versione AMG, che rinnova in chiave full electric un bestseller della Casa di Stoccarda, cui seguirà dopo pochi mesi il lancio della EQS SUV. Tre nuove stelle che andranno ad ampliare ulteriormente la famiglia di Mercedes-EQ, che oggi conta già ben sei modelli (EQA, EQB, EQC, EQS, EQS 53 AMG ed EQV). Tante novità anche sul fronte sul fronte plug-in che nel 2022 vedrà il debutto della Classe C plug-in, diesel e benzina, della S 580 e, e della Mercedes-AMG GT Coupé4 63 S E PERFORMANCE, il primo modello di Affalterbach con la spina, una supersportiva a quattro porte da ben 843 CV.