BERLIN, April 10 Reuters Mercedes Benz sales fell 6 in the first quarter, hit by supply bottlenecks in Asia and its luxury model range changeover, the German premium carmaker said on Wednesday.

Deliveries fell to 568,400 cars and vans in the JanuaryMarch period, while sales of battery electric vehicles dropped even more sharply, by 9, to 50,500 vehicles, it said in a statement.

Firstquarter sales in Europe were down 2, in Asia they fell 15 and in north America, they dropped 1, Mercedes Benz added.

Peer BMW39;s sales rose 1 in the quarter, with sales of fully electric vehicles adding 27.9.

Reporting by Andrey Sychev Editing by Madeline Chambers

Source Reuters