SOME YEARS AGO, A BRIGHTER-than average PR at Mercedes-Benz explained to us motoring journalists why the company wasn’t pushing hard for a reduction (or removal) of the FBT (Fringe Benefits Tax).
He suggested that while a lower FBT would be good news for buyers, it would also immediately reduce the value of all the Mercedes-Benz cars that had been sold before the reduction took place. And that would lose faith with those customers who had paid the higher price, and negatively impact them financially when they came to sell their cars.
So one has to wonder how he would feel about the recent announcement that Mercedes-Benz has savagely slashed the prices across its EV range – the EQE, EQE SUV, EQS and EQS SUV. And the reductions are substantial: ranging from $23,000 to almost $70,000 (depending on which state you live in).
Illogically, the smallest discount is to be found on the most expensive of the EV line-up, the Mercedes-Maybach EQS680.
The EQE300 SUV (the most popular model in the range) is now priced at between $106,501 and $106, 804 driveaway (actual prices will vary slightly between states), meaning a saving of between $24,000 and $28,000.
The EQE300 sedan is now priced at $106,409 (driveaway) for a saving of almost $24,000.
The EQE350 SUV comes in at $107,246 (driveaway), a reduction of more than $32,000.
The savings are even higher for the AMG models.
The AMG EQE53 SUV ranges from $123,417 to $136,825 (driveaway) delivering savings of almost $53,000 to nearly $57,000.
The AMG EQE53 sedan delivers the biggest savings of all. Priced from $134,551 to $142,239 (driveaway), the savings come in at between $66,600 and $$69,800 and the EQS 450 isn’t far behind at $128,719 to $133,893 (down between $64,000 and $66,400).
The EQS450 SUV is now priced at between $126,927 and $140,128, saving between $53,400 and almost $58,000.
And as we mentioned earlier, the most expensive EV in the range, the Mercedes-Maybach, priced between $333,457 and $419,211 will save its well-heeled buyers roughly $9,000.
And the problem isn’t limited to the Australian market. Earlier this year, deliveries of all EVA-based models in the US were paused due to disappointing sales.