Mercedes has opened its first electric vehicle only dealership to capitalize on the fledgling demand for EVs in Japan.
Mercedes has been steadily growing its EV lineup, particularly in Europe and China, where demand for these vehicles is the strongest. But now that the company offers a full EV lineup in Japan to include five separate models, the German luxury brand has opened its first EV-only dealership that will hopefully entice car buyers to ditch their previous ICE vehicles.
The new all-electric dealership, located in Yokohama just south of Tokyo, is not only a departure in design from a typical Mercedes dealership but also features a couple of other fundamental changes. Foremost, customers will be guided by “EQ Experts” who can help them understand the specifications and options. Further, the new location will feature EV charging and roof-mounted solar panels as the brand looks to make its operations more sustainable globally.
Mercedes did not announce whether the EV-only dealership chain would expand within Japan or if similar dealerships would be made in other countries. Still, as the company aims to shift to EVs by 2030, more facilities like this will be required to meet global demand.
According to Mercedes-Benz’s Japanese website, the company currently sells five EVs in the country; the Mercedes EQS and EQE sedans and the Mercedes EQA, EQB, and EQC SUVs. Eventually, the brand will also sell its upcoming EQS SUV and EQE SUV.
Mercedes is certainly dedicating a lot to a market that has yet to fully embrace electric vehicles. The Japan Automobile Dealers Association (JADA) states that in 2021 the Japanese market was firmly dedicated to hybrid vehicles, with 96.8% of electrified vehicle sales in the country being either hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles. In total, 21,693 EVs were sold in Japan in 2021.
It’s unclear if this early dedication to the Japanese EV market will benefit the company, but as Tesla has shown in the United States, it certainly doesn’t hurt to be early to the market.
The German luxury giant is headed in the right direction as it looks to help customers more easily and quickly find and choose the EV they are looking for. Hopefully, through more dealerships like this, the Japanese market can begin to embrace electric vehicle technology.
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