Diesel sales: Mercedes will sell more diesel cars in 2017

Mercedes Benz

In the past year, the market share of diesel cars fell in 2017 to 38.8 percent from 45.9 percent. In absolute terms, this is a drop of just over 200,000 to 1.33 million cars.

(Photo: Reuters)

Despite the general decline in demand for diesel passenger cars in Germany, Mercedes-Benz was able to boost sales of cars with diesel in Europe last year. “Last year, more Mercedes customers opted for a diesel-powered car than in 2016,” said Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche on Thursday at the group’s New Year’s reception in Berlin. After losing confidence in the public, it turns out that it is worthwhile to improve diesel engines instead of prohibiting them.

The cheat with diesel exhaust emissions and the discussion about driving bans in big cities discouraged many car buyers in the past year. According to the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, the market share of diesel cars fell in 2017 to 38.8 percent from 45.9 percent. In absolute terms, this is a drop of just over 200,000 to 1.33 million cars.