Mercedes-Benz Korea’s new CEO tasked with accelerating EV transition

Shirin Emeera, newly appointed CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea / Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Korea

For Shirin Emeera, the newly appointed CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea, ensuring the successful launch of its key strategic electric vehicle (EV) lineup will be a top priority, with the carmaker still struggling to normalize declining EV sales in the aftermath of an EQE sedan fire two years ago, according to industry officials.

She is scheduled to take office in July, replacing outgoing CEO Mathias Vaitl.

Emeera’s arrival comes as the company prepares to debut two EV models — the all-new electric CLA and the all-new electric GLC — later this year, placing her leadership under close scrutiny as critics question whether the carmaker can rebuild its EV brand identity, which was heavily tarnished by a fire in an underground parking lot in Incheon that damaged around 140 vehicles and hospitalized 23 people.

The incident triggered widespread safety concerns among consumers and dealt a significant blow to the brand’s reputation in the rapidly growing EV market.

Mercedes-Benz Korea plans to introduce a total of 10 new models in the local market this year, with the two models expected to play a strategically crucial role, as both belong to the most popular vehicle segments in Korea and are likely to appeal to a broader customer base.

Under the leadership of the outgoing CEO, the firm has achieved notable success in expanding its ultimate luxury Maybach brand. In July last year, the carmaker opened the world’s first dedicated Maybach Brand Center — including a showroom and service facility — in Seoul, underscoring its strong commitment for customers seeking high-end luxury cars.

However, now is the time for the carmaker to overcome the EV challenge, at a critical time when its rivals rapidly expand their footing in electrification. Against the backdrop, the success of the upcoming electric lineups is widely seen as a critical first test for Emeera’s leadership.

Mercedes-Benz Group CEO Ola Kallenius speaks during a press conference in Incheon, Nov. 14, 2025. Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Korea

Mercedes-Benz Korea’s EV sales showed rapid growth in recent years, rising from 1,363 in 2021 to 5,006 in 2022. The figure for 2023 also soared to 9,184.

However, the carmaker suffered a sharp sales decline to 4,506 units in 2024 largely due to the fallout from the fire incident. Sales further dropped to 2,118 in 2025.

Its sluggish EV performance stood in contrast to that of key competitors last year. BMW Korea recorded EV sales of 5,821 units while other brands, such as BYD Korea, Audi Korea and Porsche Korea, also outperformed Mercedes-Benz Korea in terms of the number of EV sales during the same period.

Mercedes-Benz Korea is accelerating its preparation for the success of the all-electric CLA, placing particular emphasis on the model’s advanced technology.

The vehicle is equipped with Nvidia’s much-touted Alpamayo autonomous driving platform. The all-new electric CLA is the first model powered by the system. The model has gained global spotlight after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang unveiled the reasoning-based autonomous driving system for the first time in the world.

“The success of these new electric models will be crucial in determining whether Mercedes-Benz Korea can turn the tide after years of being embroiled in EV-related fire controversies,” an industry official said.