BBA Sales Slide in China Amid Lagging EV Transition and Shrinking Market Share

In April 2024, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi all experienced significant year-over-year declines in sales in the Chinese market. Mercedes-Benz sold 32,000 vehicles, down 33.3% year-on-year; BMW sold 34,000 units, a 24.4% decline; and Audi sold 29,000 vehicles, down 25.6%. None of the three brands surpassed 40,000 units in monthly sales, with their core models also showing weak performance: the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sold 7,450 units, while the BMW 5 Series sold 6,622 units. In the SUV segment, sales of the Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X3, and Audi Q5L all fell within the range of 5,000 to 8,000 units. To boost sales, all three brands have widely adopted price-cutting promotions, but with limited success, as their brand premium continues to erode. Meanwhile, dealers are grappling with high inventory levels and price inversions, prompting some to shift toward representing domestic premium new energy vehicle (NEV) brands. The sales slump reflects BBA’s lagging progress in electrification. As the NEV market expands rapidly in China, domestic brands are capturing market share with superior technology features and better value for money. In contrast, BBA still relies primarily on internal combustion engine models and has failed to effectively meet consumer demand—particularly among younger buyers—for intelligent, electrified vehicles, causing their traditional luxury appeal to wane.