Mercedes goes ‘electric only’ for its employee company cars in Germany

If you drive a company car for Mercedes, it may be time to trade in your E-Class for a new EQE. Mercedes-Benz will require all eligible employees driving company cars in Germany to switch to purely electric vehicles.

Mercedes employee company cars are going electric only

With Mercedes-Benz aiming to be an all-electric automaker by 2030 (where market conditions allow), the automaker is taking steps internally to advance its goal.

Mercedes will require all eligible employees in Germany to drive electric company cars, according to Automobilwoche. This would mean 5,000 vehicles, mostly available as diesel, gas, and PHEVs, will need to transition to EVs.

The move comes as more employees are choosing all-electric options anyway. Fully electric cars in the company’s fleet more than quadrupled from last year after doubling from 2021 to 2022.

Nearly one in three company cars are purely electric currently, while around 40% are plug-in hybrids.

Mercedes is shifting from an “electric-first” to an “electric-only” strategy. The automaker already offers an EV for every segment, but from 2025, customers will be able to choose from an all-electric option for every Mercedes model.

In September, the luxury automaker revealed its next-gen CLA electric sedan at IAA Mobility. It will be the first of Mercedes’ new entry-level EV class with ultra-long-range capabilities.

Mercedes calls the electric sedan the new “one-liter car” due to its advanced efficiency. The electric CLA will be the first to ride on Mercedes’ new MMA platform, enabling over 466 miles (750 km) range.

Electrek’s Take

With Mercedes planning to phase out gas-powered cars in favor of EVs, requiring electric company cars makes sense. At this point, you would think employees at Mercedes would be ready to transition, given the benefits of driving an EV.

Driving an electric car not only benefits the driver with a quiet, zero-emission ride, but it can also save the company in gas and maintenance fees.

With only about 5,000 vehicles in question, the transition should be easy. However, how long until the requirement extends out of Germany?