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Daimler put its emissions numbers down to customers increasing
preference for sports utility vehicles (SUVs), which tend to be
more polluting than sedans, making it more difficult for
carmakers to hit a European target for each new car to produce
no more than 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer by 2020.
The company said it expects Mercedes-Benz Cars to bring more
than 10 new electric cars to market by 2022 through 10 billion
euros ($10.8 billion) of investment, having previously aimed to
achieve the target by 2025.
Daimler has been set a goal of achieving a European average
fleet emissions level of 100 grams for Mercedes-Benz Cars,
including its Smart brand, by 2020.
Last year the average fuel emissions remained at 123 grams for
Mercedes-Benz Cars, the same level as in 2015. It is the first
time since 2007 that it has failed to cut average pollution
levels despite the introduction of more fuel efficient engines
throughout its range.
Daimler also said it is expecting record sales volumes for the
Mercedes-Benz Cars division in the first quarter of the year.
"The positive sales trend continued in March," Daimler said in a
statement ahead of its annual shareholder meeting.
The company also reiterated its full-year group sales and
earnings targets. The car and truck maker expects a slight
increase in earnings and a significant rise in sales of
Mercedes-Benz Cars.
(Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach and Edward Taylor; Writing by
Victoria Bryan; Editing by Christoph Steitz and David Goodman)
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