Photo : D.R.
“Ever since the introduction in 2006 of the TVS, the French tax on company cars, our corporate clients have demanded a maximum level of 140 g in CO2 emissions per km. All manufacturers are making efforts in this direction, Mercedes-Benz in particular. Following in the footsteps of the A, B and C Classes, the new E Class meets these specifications. Today, thanks to the creation of our BlueEFFICIENCY label guaranteeing optimised consumption, 60% of vehicles sold by the make emit less than 140 g of CO2 per km. This percentage climbs up to 80% if we consider sales made to companies only,” points out Hubert Cresson, Head of the Corporate Sales department.
The Mercedes, traditionally the type of a vehicle driven by a company head, has benefited from a prestigious image. Since 2005, the marketing of the A and B Classes has opened the doors of company fleets to the manufacturer, supported by considerable advantages: a positive image for employees and a very good end-of-contract residual value. The company has thus set up a dedicated structure, Mercedes Entreprises, to respond to the specific needs of large groups, SMEs and administrations. It also works with long-term leasers. These intermediaries make up 20% of the make’s sales geared at professionals in 2009, a proportion set to rise again in 2010.
Innovation, a source of savings
The German automobile manufacturer has invested massively in R&D to offer models that are more respectful of the environment. Between 2005 and 2009, investment in hybrid, electric and fuel-cell vehicles, as well as technical evolutions carried out on standard models, came to around ten billion euros. And the success of the make’s flagship vehicle, the Mercedes S-Class hybrid – the first European hybrid – attests to the advantages of such a positioning. “Owning an S-Class hybrid gives rise to 750 euros in premium surcharges as opposed to 2,500 euros for a classic S Class, and TVS of 2,500 euros (2 years’ exemption) as opposed to 4,000 euros for a traditional model. It follows that half of the S Classes sold to companies are hybrids. On the strength of these good results, we will shortly be offering an E Class hybrid. There will be no premium surcharge for purchasing the hybrid diesel vehicle, and TVS will only be 450 euros,” notes Hubert Cresson. “In the domain of zero emission, our group also foresees the launch of an electric Smart pre-production model.”
Mercedes-Benz intends to pursue its R&D investment policy and develop innovative technologies, thanks notably to the establishment of partnerships. The make has also set itself other ambitious objectives. In particular, the introduction of Fleet Centres, specially dedicated to companies set up in major French and European cities. About ten are already operational in France, and their number will multiply by three in the next two years. For the sales of vehicles to professionals is an important axis of development. “Our biggest market is of course Germany, ahead of the United States, England, China and France. On French territory, sales to companies make up 30% of Mercedes’ sales. We wish to increase this proportion in coming years. And our strategy in this domain will be accompanied by a widening of our offer: 15 new models will be launched between now and 2012,” announces Hubert Cresson.
BlueEFFICIENCY: optimised fuel consumption
With its BlueEfficiency label, Mercedes-Benz offers a comprehensive range of vehicles
low in CO2 emissions. Measures aiming to reduce fuel consumption are combined in an package specific to each model. Improved aerodynamics, the introduction of light materials, elements for intelligent energy management feature in the programme. The result? For example, the C Class BlueEFFICIENCY version consumes up to 23% less than the preceding version of the model, emitting only 127 g of CO2 per km. Some 66 BlueEFFICIENCY models are already available in the A, B, C, E, ML, GL, R, GLK and S Classes.
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