BMW widened its lead over Mercedes in electric vehicle sales globally in 2025, and that dynamic is echoed in India where BMW’s EV deliveries more than doubled Mercedes’ figures, underscoring evolving customer demand and electrification strategies in the luxury EV segment.
BMW widened its lead over Mercedes-Benz in electric vehicle sales in 2025, underscoring how differing electrification strategies are shaping outcomes in the global luxury car market. According to an industry analysis, BMW delivered more than 2.5 times as many battery-electric vehicles as Mercedes worldwide last year, reinforcing its position as the stronger performer in the premium EV segment.
The global trend is also visible in India’s emerging luxury EV market. BMW sold 3,599 electric vehicles in India in 2025, significantly ahead of Mercedes-Benz’s 1,452 units, reflecting stronger traction for BMW’s electric portfolio among Indian buyers. While overall luxury EV volumes remain small, the widening gap highlights shifting customer preferences as electrification gains momentum.
BMW’s strength in 2025 was driven particularly by strong demand in Europe, where supportive regulations and incentives have encouraged EV adoption. BEVs accounted for a growing share of BMW’s total deliveries, complemented by plug-in hybrids that together expanded the company’s electrified lineup.
By contrast, Mercedes’ BEV deliveries fell nearly 9% year-on-year, highlighting the challenges faced by the Stuttgart-based automaker as it attempts to reset its product strategy amidst uneven demand in key markets like China and parts of North America.
Industry analysts suggest that BMW’s diversified approach — balancing traditional, hybrid and fully electric offerings — helped cushion the company against volatility in demand for purely battery-electric models, while Mercedes’ sharper focus on luxury experiences and higher-priced models has been less effective in driving volume growth globally.
India’s automotive market continues to expand rapidly, with EV adoption growing significantly across segments as infrastructure improves and buyers become more receptive to electric mobility.
In the luxury segment, premium electrified vehicles are still a small slice of total sales, but the pace of growth has been noticeable. Mercedes-Benz India reported a double-digit increase in EV sales earlier in the year, with electric models making up a larger share of its deliveries. Meanwhile, BMW’s electric portfolio — including models like the iX1 and i7 — has seen increasing interest from affluent buyers looking for performance blended with sustainability.
The 2025 sales figures — 3,599 EVs for BMW and 1,452 for Mercedes in India — not only highlight BMW’s stronger position in the local EV race but also point to growing consumer conviction around electrification even among luxury buyers. These numbers suggest luxury EV buyers in India are paying more attention to electrification strategy, range and brand value rather than traditional combustion-engine prestige alone.
Automakers are responding to these shifts with strategic changes. BMW, for example, continues to refine its EV roadmap with upcoming launches and planned enhancements in battery technology aimed at boosting efficiency and range. Meanwhile, Mercedes has signaled a broader product reset that includes more aggressive electrification plans and expansions of its EV line-up.
Analysts believe that as government incentives, charging infrastructure and customer familiarity with EVs increase, luxury EV adoption in India could grow faster than overall EV penetration. This could further amplify competition between established global brands, as well as regional players eyeing a slice of the premium EV market.
For now, BMW’s double-digit advantage in both global and Indian EV sales in 2025 casts a spotlight on how differing electrification strategies can impact brand performance — and why luxury automakers must align product development closely with evolving consumer preferences.
BMW Global BEVs: ~442,072 units sold
Mercedes Global BEVs: ~168,800 units sold
BMW EV Sales in India: 3,599 units (2025)
Mercedes EV Sales in India: 1,452 units (2025)
These figures reflect not just a competitive edge for BMW but the broader thrust toward electrification in premium automotive segments worldwide.
Suhail Gulati
Suhail Gulati is the founder of ElecTree and an economist by training. He holds a Master's degree in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics and has worked in credit, retail banking, and financial stress testing at Barclays and American Express. He founded ElecTree in 2023 — building it into India's dedicated platform for 4-wheeler EV data, sales analysis, and original reporting. His work sits at the intersection of economic analysis and electric mobility — bringing a banker's rigour to a sector that deserves it.