Photo: Mercedes-Benz Japan via Automotive News
German automaker Mercedes-Benz opened its first store in Japan featuring only electric vehicles (EVs), in hopes of capturing some of the market as it shifts to EVs, according to a report from Nikkei Asia.
The store was opened on Tuesday in a two-story building in Yokohama south of Tokyo. The city is also home to an international shipping port and Japanese automakers Nissan and Isuzu.
Although EVs make up only a small fraction of Japan’s auto market share, Mercedes sees the market as a chance to win market share for its luxury EQ EVs.
Mercedes G-Class Electric SUV to Debut in 2024 https://t.co/8Nkr8wg9tk
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“We thought actively speeding up Japan’s EV shift would be a shortcut for us as a company [to expand in Japan],” Mercedes-Benz Japan President Kintaro Ueno said. “Taking the lead is important in aggressively going after market share.”
Ueno also added that the Japanese sales complex approached the Mercedes global headquarters with the proposition to build an EV-only store, which the company will dedicate to its electric EQ lineup.
Earlier this year, Mercedes announced plans to slash European dealerships and a move toward an online direct-sales model. The luxury automaker also plans to invest more than $41.9 billion (40 billion euros) into battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) between now and 2030, with plans to sell only BEVs after 2025.
