Chapter 160: The Concept of Cargo Vehicles
It had been a week since the global launch of the Benz One. Partners in the British Empire and the German Empire, as well as Benz, Diesel, and Arthur, were all eagerly awaiting the actual sales figures.
Everyone understood that the first week was more about market expansion. Only after the initial buyers experienced the benefits of the car would others follow with real purchases.
Still, this was a synchronized global release, with major markets like the United States and Europe as key regions. That gave everyone high hopes for the Benz One's performance. Given its advantages in both performance and price, its share of the market was not expected to be low.
It's worth noting that Benz's earlier invention—the three-wheeled "bicycle"—had sold more than 2,000 units in Germany alone.
That so-called bicycle was actually a toned-down version of one of Benz's earlier automobile concepts, and being handmade, its price had not dropped significantly.
If such an expensive vehicle could sell two to three thousand units, then the Benz One—with better performance and a lower price—was naturally even more anticipated.
February 25, 1903 – Sydney, Australia, Benz Automobile Factory.
After a full day of reporting and data collection, sales points from around the world finally sent in their first-week sales figures to the headquarters in Australia.
At the factory, Arthur, Benz, and Diesel were already waiting eagerly, passing the time by examining some of Benz and Diesel's new inventions while they awaited the final numbers.
Eventually, an employee interrupted their discussion, signaling that the compilation of the Benz One's first-week sales was complete.
Arthur was the first to receive the data and immediately began reviewing it.
The global launch of the Benz One included nine sales points: the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Australia, with a pre-production total of 32,000 vehicles.
The performance of the nine sales points varied, but overall the results were solid.
The top-selling location during the first week was the sales point in New York, USA.
This location also received the most pre-produced units. Most of the vehicles from Australia's Benz factory had been shipped to the United States for distribution there.
And New York did not disappoint—it sold 630 vehicles in the first week.
The second-highest sales came from London, United Kingdom, with just over 600 vehicles sold.
Berlin, Germany, followed with 520 units, and France trailed slightly behind with nearly 400.
The remaining countries—Austria-Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Australia—had lower numbers. Combined, these five nations barely matched the sales of the United States.
In total, 2,700 Benz One vehicles were sold worldwide during the first week, making it one of the highest-selling models on the market.
Yes, only 2,700 units were enough to make it one of the top-selling cars globally—that spoke to the struggles of the automobile industry at the time.
"Your Highness, we did it!" Benz and Diesel, after reviewing the numbers, turned to Arthur with delighted expressions.
Their willingness to come all the way from Germany to Australia had hinged on Arthur's promise of substantial funding for research. They were determined to make their mark in the automotive and engine industries.
By the looks of it, they had taken the first successful step. The Benz One had made a name for itself, and it was only a matter of time before it became the world's best-selling car.
"Good work, Mr. Benz, Mr. Diesel. The first week was just about entering the market for both the Benz One and the automobile industry as a whole. I believe our sales will continue to grow. As promised, ten percent of the revenue from both the car and engine factories belongs to you," Arthur said with a smile and a nod.
Although the first-week sales might not seem overwhelming at first glance, the profit was significant.
According to the current production costs of the major factories, each car had a profit margin of 40 to 50 pounds.
While other factories had yet to match the Australian plant's cost-to-profit ratio of nearly 1:1, it was still an impressive figure.
With 2,700 units sold, that translated to at least 120,000 pounds in pure profit. Even after splitting it with British and German partners, the Benz factory could still retain 50,000 to 60,000 pounds.
That was just for one week. In a month, profits would reach at least 200,000 pounds. In a year, over 2.4 million pounds—enough to fund the launch of two Brunswick-class battleships.
Moreover, sales in the first week were certain to be lower than in the weeks and months to come. Many interested buyers were still waiting to hear feedback from early adopters.
Once positive reviews came in, those who were hesitant would be more likely to purchase.
This waiting period would vary, but it would still take several weeks or even months to fully unfold.
That meant the automotive industry still had vast untapped potential, and the current sales figures were just the tip of the iceberg.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Benz and Diesel quickly bowed in gratitude.
A ten percent share meant significant income—enough to make them global millionaires.
Though research remained their top priority, who would say no to effortless wealth, especially when it didn't interfere with their work?
"Now that Benz One has met expectations, it's time to begin developing a new series of vehicles," Arthur said with a mysterious smile, accepting a blueprint from one of his guards and handing it to them.
"Your Highness, what's this?" the two men asked as they eagerly accepted the design, their eyes immediately drawn to the unique structure of the vehicle.
This was a completely different design from current models. The rear half of the vehicle was a large cargo compartment, clearly indicating that the new model was meant for transporting goods rather than people.
"This was a little idea of mine. Horse-drawn carriages can carry both passengers and cargo, so why can't our automobiles? This blueprint is just a concept of mine—see if it's feasible to build and produce a prototype," Arthur said with a smile.
At present, cars were limited to small, passenger-based models. Large, cargo-focused vehicles had yet to emerge.
That was largely due to the current immaturity of automotive engines and technology.
Even small passenger vehicles hadn't yet achieved full commercial viability—large and more stability-demanding cargo vehicles were still a ways off.
(End of Chapter)
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