Mercedes won't give up its U.S. business without a fight

Mercedes-Benz's diversified ownership operation could travel backmost to wound the German automaker if a caller measure passed by an influential Senate Committee is enforced by the missive of the instrumentality and keeps the luxury automaker from selling its vehicles successful the states.

But Mercedes says it inactive has galore levers to propulsion should it person to, and it won't springiness up the lucrative U.S. marketplace without a fight.

Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously passed the Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 retired of committee. The measure is designed to "protect American automakers and workers from the dire menace of Chinese automobiles by banning them and their connected components connected American soil," according to measure sponsor U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio).

"China's car manufacture was not built to compete; it was built to destruct American manufacturing, gut the mediate class, and undermine our nationalist security," Moreno said. "For decades, D.C. globalists propped up Chinese businesses — present it's clip for Congress to halt this crab earlier it spreads done the American car market."

So what does each of that person to bash with German-headquartered Mercedes?

Well, the measure would prohibition income from automakers with much than 15% ownership by Chinese entities, and astir 20% of Mercedes-Benz is owned by Chinese entities.

Eric Li Shufu, the laminitis and president of Chinese automaker Geely, owns 9.7% of Mercedes done an concern firm, portion the Beijing Automotive Group owns different 9.98%. So if the measure passes arsenic is, Mercedes fans volition person to import their G-Wagons successful the future.

But Mercedes CEO Ola Kaellenius says his institution isn't going anywhere.

Mercedes CEO vows to enactment successful U.S. contempt anti-China authorities

While the Connected Vehicle Security Act inactive has galore revisions to spell done earlier it perchance becomes a law, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kaellinus utilized his company's second-quarter net telephone to reassure investors that the German marque wasn't leaving the U.S. anytime soon.

Kaellinus was asked during the telephone astir the options the institution has to get astir the authorities should it walk done Congress and caput to President Donald Trump's table for his signature.

Kaellinus said helium is "watching precise closely," emphasizing that portion 2 of his biggest shareholders are Chinese, "they are by nary means acting successful consort, nor are they represented connected the Board."

But portion those things whitethorn beryllium true, the governmental grandstanding lawmakers are celebrated for could marque those facts a moot point. It's a world Kaellinus readily acknowledges.