Psillakis poses with the smooth, stylish Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.
Mercedes-Benz USA
The 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan is the kind of car that turns heads — even when it’s parked. Part Batmobile and part brainy electronic vehicle, it has an aerodynamic design that cuts wind noise, a statement-making front grill and the ability to go from 0 to 60 without so much as a grunt. And inside, the uber-sophisticated machine offers massage seats, choose-your-color dash lighting and the largest digital display ever in a Benz.
Ask Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Dimitris Psillakis and he’ll tell you that his company’s line of EV headliners, the EQE and EQS, are not only the best options on the road, but they’re smart choices for a road trip as well. “We have fast charging times on our vehicles,” says Psillakis, who’s sat in the driver’s seat at MBUSA since 2021. “[Our customers can use] Tesla chargers through a special connector. And we recently announced we’re building Mercedes-Benz-branded charging stations at Starbucks. We go where the customer most frequently travels.”
Psillakis would know. Based in Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. home of Atlanta, he regularly drives around the South to visit dealerships and check on facilities. In the following conversation, Psillakis explains why the lauded luxury brand’s EVs are different, why ATL traffic isn’t so bad and why his native Greece is always worthy of a visit.
The man driving Mercedes into the future.
Mercedes-Benz USA
If there is one thing about the auto industry you could change, what would it be?
I think the auto industry is in a limbo situation when it comes to what technology will prevail in the future and with what speed. Obviously, I’m talking about electric vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles. Here we have a certain controversy. On one hand, you have the will of government regulators, which are pushing extremely hard with deadlines when it comes to short- and mid-term targets for low CO2, for low emissions. If you go to mid- and long-term targets, let’s talk about 2035, for example, we have regulations requesting all vehicles sold in 2035 to be electric or to be zero-emissions vehicles in California, Europe and other countries.
This is a hard target, but you have the controversy that electric vehicles are not [being] adopted in a quick speed and rhythm by customers. There is certain resistance. There is some questioning around it. Is it time? Do I have enough range? Do I have enough charging stations? Is the price right? There’s a lot of hesitation. Which brings me to what I said is controversy. On one hand, we need to move fast if we’re [to meet] the targets that are placed on us. But we don’t have the same acceptance by the customers.
So, if I would have one wish, it would be to align the customer demand, which drives the business, right along with the regulatory direction. We are the ones in between. We are the ones trying to satisfy customer expectations and deliver to the regulators. We have a clear direction and a clear plan to go forward and invest in and promote the right technology and satisfy the customer demand.
Mercedes-Benz has a very strong presence in the EV category. What is your brand doing that separates it from the pack?
Mercedes-Benz is a brand that stands for innovation, stands for safety, stands for comfort and stands for convenience. This is what our electric vehicles stand for. If you take the EQE or the EQS, which were products launched in the markets two or three years back in the very early stage of electric vehicle adoption, these are vehicles that immediately captured the attention of customers. We have had very good penetration in the electric vehicle market.
We see the adoption rate going down [for EVs overall], so maybe we see less appetite for electric vehicles. But [even] within this appetite, Mercedes-Benz has a strong position. This is because we sell the Mercedes of electric vehicles. We have a product that is top in technology. An example is our Hyperscreen [interior glass display]. But at the same time, we have performance. I don’t only mean we have a great 0-to-60-mile times; it’s more the range. Take the EQS, for example, which has 340 miles of range.
Psillakis road trips from Atlanta to Jacksonville.
iStock-Sean Pavone Photo
In other words, the EQE and EQS are good options for family road trips?
Yes. I’ll give you personal examples. I’ve been driving the EQS more or less since I’ve been here. I’ve always traveled with my electric vehicle, going to Asheville, Charlotte or whatever for dealer visits. That was all done in my EQS Maybach. Going to a Charleston factory and visiting stores there, [too]. I went to Jacksonville, where we have a parts delivery center. I have not changed the way I drive long distances [because of] my electric vehicles. What I have to put in my plan, obviously, when I drive long stints to Jacksonville is the need to stop and charge on the way. I will not drive six, seven hours without a stop, right? I’ll take a stop somewhere for a coffee or snack. I’ll plan a break of 15 or 20 minutes. I can plan my travel on the app, which gives you options for stopping. I can plan it on my car.
If you’re traveling with your family, you have to make a stop. Obviously, it cannot be five minutes, which is the gasoline refill time. But in 15, 20 minutes, you can get 60, 70% charge on a fast charger, which is more than enough to give you another three hours of driving. So, yes, it’s feasible. But you have to change a little bit of your mindset.
Speaking of snacks, what are a few goodies that are always within arm’s reach on a road trip?
I always stop for a good lunch, dinner or a snack. I do not go for fast food. I would not go for a burger. Although it’s tasty, I would consider it not so healthy, so I would pick a place where I can grab a salad or something that is light.
And what are you listening to while you’re riding — music, sports or podcasts?
I listen to music. I have my Spotify playlist on the screen, so I don’t need to go through my mobile phone. It’s part of the conveniences in technology that Mercedes-Benz can offer. I have my playlist depending on the time [in the day]. In the morning, I’ll go for more upbeat music and a bit more motivating. During the day, I would switch to some lounge music and go more relaxed.
I would not listen to sports or news. Because for me, driving a Mercedes is a relaxing [experience]. It’s not an environment where I want to stress myself. It helps me relax. I’ll take some business calls, obviously, but mostly it’s my safe, comfortable environment to relax and get to my next destination.
Kyma is one of Psillakis’ favorite ATL restaurants.
Kyma/Huff & Co.
Atlanta’s traffic can be stressful. But what are some things you do love about the city?
Contrary to many of my friends and colleagues, I don’t find the traffic in Atlanta hectic. Maybe I’m lucky where I live. Yeah, there is traffic, but come on, there 6 million people in the metro area, right? You have two major freeways [I-75 and I-85] joining and crossing Atlanta. It is a suburban area, which means people have to travel from place to place. If I didn’t want to have traffic, I would have selected a village, right? I’m okay with the traffic.
What I like is the fact that Atlanta is spread out. You have green everywhere. You have lakes. You have rivers. It’s hilly. When you fly, it looks flat, but when you ride a bicycle, you realize how not flat Atlanta is. That makes it nice and different. Lots of parks. A lot of opportunities for good hikes. There are a lot of culinary options in Atlanta I very much enjoy. And last but not least, from a business point of view, you can easily go in and go out. You are well positioned to Nashville, Asheville, Charlotte, Charleston, Savannah, Florida or whatever. It’s well situated for driving. But also, flying out of the airport here is a blessing.
Give me a couple of your favorite Atlanta restaurants.
Kyma, the Greek restaurant. The chef is very nice. The food he’s created is very healthy. You can go and have lamb if you want, but it has excellent fish and some good healthy Mediterranean plates cooked with olive oil. I’m also promoting my country a little bit to you guys. But beyond that, I would also pick The Varsity. It’s classic and simple. I understand that it’s also a point of interest for visitors and Atlantans. It has a little bit of history.
Psillakis’ native Greece.
iStock-S Hansche
How often do you get back to Greece?
Not as often as I would like to go. It’s home. That’s where I born. I spent half of my life in Greece. I have my family down there. I go twice a year. I was there in July for a week. I’m going to go again over Christmas time. Summertime in Greece is nice beaches, good food and sitting outside for late dinners. Lots of sun. And then it’s the winter in Greece, which is more for the Greeks. It’s less touristy. It’s quieter. The winters are mild. I would say the winters in Greece, especially the southern part, are like the winters in Atlanta. You get a couple of cold days, but you always have the sun shining.
What are some of your other favorite places around the globe?
Look, I’m very privileged because I had the chance to work and live in different places around the globe, in different continents, in different time zones, in different countries, in different weather conditions. I obviously lived in Greece and studied in the U.K. I worked in Germany. So, Europe I know pretty well. I also lived in South America, in Brazil. I traveled and had responsibility for the whole of South America. I’ve basically traveled in almost every country in South America. I have traveled a lot in the eastern part of Asia: China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Hong Kong.
Being here now in North America, it’s a great opportunity. I consider myself very, very privileged being given this opportunity. If you ask me where I would like to go back again, I would definitely pick places where it’s warm, have sea around you and where I get to see nice, friendly and hospitable people. Southeast Asian countries, the Caribbean and southern Europe [come to mind]. I would say southern Spain and southern Italy. These are places where I would see myself spending more time. You would not see me going to Alaska. For an adventure, I’d do it, but I don’t like to spend time in places with long nights and cold weather. You’d stay too much inside and that is not my style.
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Publish date : 2024-09-03 01:58:00
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