Mercedes-Benz Q2 2026 sales fall as China slump deepens

Mercedes-Benz reported connected Wednesday that planetary car deliveries fell 8% successful the 2nd 4th compared with the aforesaid play a twelvemonth earlier, with a deepening slump successful China liable for overmuch of the decline. Across the quarter, the automaker handed implicit 417,800 vehicles to customers.

Chinese deliveries were down 30% from a twelvemonth ago, a diminution the automaker attributed to what it called "an intensifying competitory situation and the timing of the company's existent merchandise ramp-ups." Mercedes-Benz banal fell arsenic overmuch arsenic 3.7% successful Frankfurt trading.

Results extracurricular China were considerably stronger. North America income roseate 13%, portion European deliveries grew 4%. Fully electrical models — counting some cars and vans — accounted for 63,000 deliveries, a 50% leap from the prior-year period, buoyed successful portion by European appetite for those vehicles. The automaker's highest-end lineup saw a 10% driblet successful deliveries, a effect the institution tied to scheduled transitions betwixt exemplary generations and erstwhile peculiar vehicles became available. Deliveries of the G-Class gained 3%.

Looking up to the backmost fractional of 2026, Mercedes-Benz plans to bring a fig of China-specific vehicles to that market, among them the long-wheelbase electrical GLC L SUV. Demand signals for the caller S-Class are besides encouraging successful Europe, wherever the sedan's bid books are described arsenic beardown done year-end.

The second-quarter results widen a signifier that has pressured the German automaker passim 2026. In the archetypal quarter, Mercedes-Benz reported a 6% planetary income decline, with China down 27%, arsenic home brands encroached connected the premium segment. First-quarter net earlier involvement and taxes fell 17% to €1.9 billion, and the carmaking unit's adjusted operating borderline compressed to 4.1% from 7.3% a twelvemonth earlier.

Across the German luxury segment, a prolonged existent property situation successful China has hollowed retired the purchasing powerfulness of wealthier consumers, leaving brands similar Mercedes, Porsche, and Audi disproportionately exposed arsenic homegrown rivals property into the premium space. BMW past period warned that its automotive conception nett borderline could autumn arsenic debased arsenic 1% owed to weakness successful China, arsenic Quartz reported erstwhile the institution chopped its full-year outlook.

Mercedes-Benz has besides drawn scrutiny successful the U.S., wherever authorities introduced successful the House of Representatives could impact the company's quality to manufacture and merchantability vehicles domestically. Chinese government-owned BAIC holds a 9.98% involvement successful the automaker, Quartz antecedently reported successful transportation with the projected Motor Vehicle Modernization Act of 2026.