FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Daimler (DAIGn.DE) Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said the introduction of the new WLTP emissions testing procedure was causing delays getting Mercedes-Benz vehicles certified for road worthiness, distorting supply and demand.
Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche gives a speech at the Daimler annual shareholder meeting in Berlin, Germany, April 5, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke
“We build those cars that can pass certification but this may not be the vehicle that the customer had ordered,” Zetsche said in a call with journalists to discuss second-quarter results on Thursday. “This has an impact on pricing.”
Zetsche further said a supply shortage of battery cells was causing a delay in sales of electric Smart cars and hybrid Mercedes-Benz models.
Reporting by Edward Taylor