BERLIN (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 January-March period, while sales of battery electric vehicles dropped even more sharply, by 9%, to 50,500 vehicles, it said in a statement.

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

Peer BMW's sales rose 1% in the quarter, with sales of fully electric vehicles adding 27.9%.