For more than 100 years, Mercedes-Benz has been one of the most innovative and valuable brands ever created. But as the global automotive industry shifts towards an electric future, Dimitris Psillakis, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, says the company has a new goal: to become the most desirable electric luxury vehicle brand in the world. The automaker will shift its focus entirely to electric vehicles in 2025 and be prepared to sell only electric vehicles by 2030. But the transformation to electric has its hurdles. Namely, competition from both legacy automotive companies and newer, tech-driven entrants into the space, as nearly every automaker aspries to lead the transition to all-electric within the next decade. Dimitris joins the podcast to share the vision behind Mercedes-Benz’s electrification strategy and how the company is approaching the challenge of transitioning to electric from two angles: product performance and customer experience. Listen to this episode to learn: • What will it take to inspire luxury auto buyers -- especially those in the United States -- to make the switch to electric vehicles • How Mercedes-Benz plans to differentiate its premium luxury brand amongst competitors • The value of the dealership experience, and how the customer-dealer relationship is evolving -- both in-person and online • The digitalization of Mercedes-Benz and why the car of tomorrow is a “smart car” powered by software and connectivity