In the new electric vehicle segment, BMW currently holds a leading position over both Mercedes-Benz and Audi. According to a report by “Handelsblatt” referencing market researcher data from Dataforce, the new iX3 registered 36,500 units in Europe between March and the end of August. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz’s electric GLC recorded just over 16,100 new registrations during the same period.
The iX3 is significant for BMW as it signals the launch of the “Neue Klasse” future platform. Meanwhile, the electric GLC is considered an internal “make-or-break” model by Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius, as both models are crucial to halt the long-term decline in sales. Mercedes was reportedly slowed down in the spring due to supply chain issues, lacking essential battery cells from supplier CATL as well as on-board networking components. However, the GLC has since gained significant momentum; in August alone, it achieved 5,400 registrations compared to the iX3’s 6,700.
Audi, however, is struggling in the market. The VW subsidiary reported that the Q6 e-tron sold only about 27,000 units between January and August-a decrease of 16.5% compared to the same period last year. Sources within the company indicate that efforts are underway to improve the product through an upgrade.
