Mercedes-Benz changes its mind and will keep the Class A with a combustion engine until at least 2026

The expectations that the German manufacturer had regarding the share of electric models in its total sales are not being met, which has forced the company to modify its plans for the future as we already told you in a recent article. Mercedes-Benz had hoped that by 2025, 50 percent of the vehicles delivered to its customers would be plug-in models, battery electric and PHEVs, something that looks unlikely to happen given the evolution of sales over the last few quarters.

The German manufacturer will continue to bet on electric vehicles, there is no doubt about that. But it will do so without ruling out the sale of models with combustion engines, as it had intended. This means offering most of the brand’s models with both propulsion systems, leaving it up to the customer to decide which one interests them most.

An example of this new commercial strategy from the German firm is the current situation of the Class A, where its most affordable models have a starting price in Spain of 38,778 euros. The company intended to discontinue the compact model this same year, but according to a recent report published in British media, this will ultimately not happen, and its sale will be extended until at least 2026.

Electric vehicles are still expensive for some customers

Last month, Ola Kallenius, the head of Mercedes, acknowledged in statements that it would still be some years before the price of its electric models matched that of its combustion models. However, we must make a note here, since these comparisons take into account the selling price, not the total cost over the vehicle’s entire life, which would include the cost of fuel/energy and the necessary maintenance. This is a mistake often made when comparing both types of vehicles, since if the focus is on total cost, the numbers are always favourable for electric models, whether from Mercedes-Benz or any other brand.

In any case, there is no doubt that many consumers focus on the initial purchase cost of the vehicle, even though they are then drained month after month by fuel and maintenance costs. Therefore, for a brand like Mercedes-Benz, eliminating the combustion-engine models from the entry-level range of its catalogue may end up having a considerable negative impact on the company’s final results.

In light of this new reality, Mercedes-Benz is working on developing new models in its mid-range, such as the CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA and GLB. All of them are based on the brand’s MMA platform, which is valid for both electric models and those with a combustion engine. It will therefore be the customer’s decision to opt for each of these models with an electric propulsion system or with a combustion engine.

For the time being, the company has not commented on a possible renewal of the Class A in its compact or saloon variants, but when this happens after 2026, everything seems to indicate that Mercedes-Benz’s strategy will be the same: letting the customer decide which propulsion system best suits their needs.