Mercedes-Benz bought 16 p.c fewer automobiles in the course of the second quarter as COVID-19-related lockdowns in China and a protracted scarcity of semiconductors continued to weigh on manufacturing.

Deliveries in China, the world’s largest automotive market, declined 25 p.c, whereas gross sales in Europe fell 10 p.c and North America noticed a dip of three p.c within the quarter, the automaker stated in an announcement Monday.

“We’re making each effort to satisfy buyer expectations, regardless of the present provide restrictions,” stated Britta Seeger, the model’s advertising and marketing and gross sales boss.

EV gross sales have been a vivid spot with gross sales of EQ-badged automobiles practically doubling to 23,500 items.

The primary half noticed the model’s EV gross sales rising to 45,400 items — a rise of 134 p.c.

“The electrical ramp up is gaining traction,” Seeger stated. “It reveals that we provide compelling electrical autos our prospects want.”

In whole, Mercedes delivered 490,000 passenger automobiles from April to June, down 16 p.c from the identical interval final yr.

The smaller Mercedes-Benz Vans enterprise remained just below final yr’s degree with 100,000 items bought worldwide within the second quarter.

Mercedes is sticking with its 2022 forecast for a slight improve in gross sales in contrast with 2021. Regardless of issues about rising inflation, “buyer demand stays excessive,” Seeger stated.

The auto business continues to be feeling the ache of supply-chain disruptions and shortages of parts corresponding to semiconductors, notably amid a broad transition to electrical autos which are depending on more and more subtle software program.

BMW stated final week that its gross sales declined nearly 20 p.c within the second quarter.

Ongoing supply-chain issues might jeopardize Mercedes’s plan to chop again on entry-level autos in an effort to deal with higher-end automobiles that ship larger income.

Reuters contributed to this report