In an interplay with PTI, Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO Santosh Iyer stated the corporate reported a 13 per cent year-on-year progress in its gross sales at 8,528 models in India within the first half of 2023, its best-ever half-yearly gross sales within the nation.
“We at the moment are coming into the third quarter of this yr, and we really feel the development ought to proceed which ought to imply that we must always be capable to finish this yr on a file excessive as soon as once more,” he famous.
Iyer stated the corporate expects double digit gross sales progress this yr at the same time as a number of challenges exist available in the market.
“There may be numerous uncertainty nonetheless coming from the change price…rates of interest are additional going up. So you understand we nonetheless have three and a half months to go for the yr to recover from… so outlook smart we are able to nonetheless be assured it ought to be across the double digit mark,” he acknowledged.
Iyer famous that increasingly prospects at the moment are choosing costlier trims throughout its product vary, which was not the case earlier. He stated that Mercedes-Benz globally believes that it’s extra vital to supply the correct expertise and proper form of gear to a buyer than simply give attention to attaining gross sales numbers. “We really feel what’s extra vital is to do the correct issues, get the correct merchandise, gear, get the correct buyer expertise, as a result of that ought to then drive volumes. Will probably be an consequence of what we try to do,” he famous.
On the general home luxurious automotive market, which roughly accounts for simply 1 per cent of the general passenger car business at the moment, he famous that the section might finish someplace within the area of 45,000 automobiles this yr making it the most effective to date.
“This yr we are able to see the market rising with everyone collaborating and that is an awesome signal for the general well being of the posh automotive market,” Iyer acknowledged.
He famous that demand is growing with new set of patrons, together with girls and salaried staff, additionally choosing luxurious automobiles.
“There may be an growing development to reward your self with luxurious merchandise… the volumes will come, it is only a matter of time,” Iyer stated.
He famous that within the high 7-8 cities in India the penetration for luxurious automobiles has already crossed 2 per cent and it is a matter of time that the remainder of the nation additionally catches up.
When requested about battery electrical automobiles, Iyer stated the three electrical fashions it sells at the moment available in the market account for round 4-5 per cent of its whole gross sales.
“It is a matter of time that this market matures and we see extra adoption,” he acknowledged.
Mercedes expects 25 per cent of its gross sales in India to come back from electrical automobiles within the subsequent 5 years.
When requested if the corporate might convey in additional electrical automobiles, Iyer stated: “In fact there’s a roadmap. We really feel now we have to be affected person right here, as a result of numerous questions are nonetheless unanswered from the buyer perspective, and it’s a job of us as OEMs to teach shoppers.”
So it takes a while and three to 4 years is an inexpensive interval to try this, he added.
“To go to 25 per cent (share of EV gross sales) when you’re dashing for volumes, even now we are able to get extra merchandise…however I feel we need to learn the market,” Iyer stated.
He famous that progress of charging infrastructure and educating the client concerning the know-how would assist in the expansion of the general adoption of the electrical automobiles within the nation.
The corporate has lately introduced the extension of its electrical car charging community to the shoppers of different manufacturers because it appears to be like to speed up quicker adoption of electrical automobiles within the nation.
“We really feel that the extra the EV ecosystem grows, the extra would be the progress of manufacturers ,” Iyer famous.