Mercedes-Benz has opened its first EV-dedicated dealership on the earth in Yokohama, Japan, below the all-electric Mercedes-EQ model.

Inaugurated on December 6, Mercedes-EQ Yokohama permits prospects to expertise the model’s 5 electrical fashions that are at present on sale in Japan, specifically the EQA, EQB and EQC SUVs and EQE and EQS sedans.

The showroom occupies 1,220 sq. meters (13,131 sq. ft) and provides a show of all 5 Mercedes-EQ fashions, a take a look at drive space, an area for automobile deliveries and a workshop for 5 autos. Guests are accompanied by employees consisting of “EQ specialists” educated to reply all questions concerning electrical autos.

As well as, Mercedes says it has launched a automobile rental service referred to as MB Hire, which can be utilized each for short-term take a look at drives but in addition for on a regular basis use. The dealership additionally has a fast charger (CHAdeMO) put in and V2H (Automobile-to-House) gear in order that prospects can get a way of the EV expertise.

Mercedes-EQ says it’s going to additionally set up photo voltaic panels sooner or later in its shops and begin sustainable operations the place the electrical energy it makes use of will come from pure vitality sources. 

The automaker added that it’ll proceed to cooperate with its 204 licensed sellers throughout Japan and 167 licensed workshops, in addition to do its greatest to additional strengthen electrical automobile gross sales and enhance buyer satisfaction within the nation.

Why has Mercedes-Benz determined to open its first EV-exclusive dealership in Japan, although? Effectively, the automaker says it anticipates additional development within the Japanese electrical automobile market.

Nonetheless, EV adoption is in an early stage within the nation, and home makers dominate the market. That stated, international manufacturers bought a file 2,357 electrical autos in November, surpassing a tenth of complete imported automobile gross sales for the primary time, in keeping with the Japan Vehicle Importers Affiliation (JAIA) cited by Reuters.

Mercedes-Benz was the top-selling international automobile model in Japan final yr with gross sales of 51,722 autos throughout all automobile and powertrain varieties. 

The corporate introduced it’s making ready to shift to all-electric autos by 2030 besides in small markets the place circumstances would make that troublesome—for instance, in international locations the place there’s a lack of chargers. The corporate additionally goals to make its fleet of latest passenger automobiles carbon-neutral over the autos’ total life cycle by 2039 as a part of its “Ambition 2039” roadmap.