Mercedes global sales fall 6% as electric car sales hit record high

Mercedes-Benz reported a 6% decline in global car sales for the third quarter of 2026, with electric vehicle (EV) sales setting a record high. The German automaker sold 491,700 cars and vans worldwide, marking a 6% decrease compared to the same period last year. Growth in Europe and North America, combined with record-setting battery-electric vehicle sales, failed to counteract the struggles in China.

China's car sales dropped by 31% year-on-year, with a total of 132,300 vehicles sold. This decline was primarily attributed to increased competition and challenging market conditions. Mercedes-Benz's GLC and E-Class models were the best-performing in the Chinese market, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the company's sales in the country.

Excluding China, Mercedes-Benz's group sales increased by 2%, with car sales alone rising 1%. In Europe and North America, the company saw growth in EV sales, with global battery-electric vehicle sales rising 61% year-on-year to 68,400 vehicles. In Europe, Mercedes-Benz Cars achieved record quarterly BEV sales, up 78% year-on-year and 24% compared to the second quarter. The company's plants in Bremen, Rastatt, and Kecskemét were operating on three-shift schedules to meet the surging demand.

Record 16.8% of global car sales were fully electric vehicles, a 7.2 percentage point increase from the previous quarter. Overall European car sales rose 5% to 168,700 vehicles, mainly due to growth in Germany and the UK. In North America, Mercedes-Benz Cars sales increased by 4% to 83,200 vehicles, with US sales rising 6% during the period.

For the first nine months of 2026, the company sold 1,244,400 cars, a 7% decrease compared to the same period a year earlier, while sales of fully electric cars rose 40% to 165,500 units.