While manufacturers and start ups alike are rushing to bring electric pickups to the market, one thing they won't have to compete against is Mercedes Benz's pickup which which will end its run in 2020. The truck, built on a Nissan frame, entered production in 2017 and was not sold in the United States. Dubbed the X-Class, it was the first production pick up from the German manufacturer.
Nissan Joint Venture
The X-Class was not a ground up creation for the tri-star brand. It was built up on Nissan's European market pickup the Navara. Both the Navara and the X-Class were made in Spain. When Mercedes introduced the X-Class it billed it as the first truly premium pickup. The Cadillac Escalade EXT apparently didn't make the cut, but no word on whether as a pickup or a premium vehicle.
Other Pickup Markets
While the United States is usually considered the pickup market for the world, there are other areas where the pickup is popular that the X-Class was meant to make inroads. One of those markets was South Africa and South America, both places that have a high number of pickup sales.
Slow Sales and Mileage Goals
The short life of the X Class is likely down to cost cutting measures taking place at Mercedes. The company has also recently axed many of their AMG models in an attempt to meet mileage averages which also might have factored into the demise of the X-Class. Last year only 15,300 X Classes were sold against 66,000 Navaras.
Source: Road & Track