High demand at Mercedes: Six-month delivery time for CLA and GLC
Mercedes-Benz is pleased with the high demand for its all-electric CLA and GLC models. The current delivery time for both vehicles is six months. The battery plant in Kamenz has been operating six days a week on a three-shift system since June to ensure an adequate supply of traction batteries.
Mercedes-Benz CLA (top) and GLC (bottom)
Images: Mercedes / Collage: electrive
Mercedes sales executive Mathias Geisen spoke at the celebration marking Mercedes-Benz’s 140th anniversary, where the all-electric Mercedes-AMG GT SUV was also unveiled, about the surprisingly high demand for the company’s latest electric vehicles. According to Mercedes fan blog JESMB, Geisen mentioned a delivery time of around six months for the 800-volt CLA and GLC models. In other words, those who order a custom-configured vehicle today will have to wait until April 2027.
Electric CLA with 71,000 registrations in Europe
Although Mercedes-Benz itself does not provide specific sales figures for both models, the “Handelsblatt” published an exclusive analysis by market researcher Dataforce. According to this, the all-electric CLA has had over 71,000 registrations since its launch in September 2025, averaging 5,400 units per month. The previous version, which was only available as a gasoline-powered car, saw an average of around 3,500 registrations in Europe between 2021 and 2024.
As soon as the sales figures for the third quarter of 2026 were released, it became clear that Mercedes-Benz’s electric vehicle business is growing strongly: the group recorded 78,100 BEVs sold between July and September this year. This represents a 24 percent increase compared to the second quarter and a 52 percent rise from the same period last year. The importance of electric models is evident especially in the electric vehicle share, which rose from 9.6 percent in Q2/2025 to 16.8 percent in the current period. In other words, one in six new Mercedes cars sold in the past three months came equipped with an electric drive.
Mercedes with BEV orders extending into next year
Marketing Director Mathias Geisen said, “Mercedes-Benz Cars achieved the highest quarterly sales volume of fully electric vehicles in the company’s history, led by the electric GLC, whose sales more than tripled compared to the second quarter. Outside of China, passenger car sales rose for the third consecutive quarter in 2026 compared to the previous year. Our new electric models GLC, CLA, GLB, and GLA are sold out in Europe for the rest of the year; order books are already filled through 2027. This shows that our model offensive is in full swing.”
To meet the high demand, Accumotive’s battery assembly plant in Kamenz, Saxony, has been operating on a three-shift basis 24/7 six days a week since June. Previously, there were issues in Bremen with ramping up production for the new all-electric GLC—which was previously the group’s best-selling model as a gasoline vehicle. According to media reports, there was a shortage of key components. As a result, deliveries of this mid-size SUV remained at a relatively low level at first.
CLA and GLC Already in the Top 10 of Electric Cars
Currently, the delivery and production of the GLC are similar to those of the CLA manufactured in Rastatt, but they remain at a high level, as shown by registration figures for the German market from the Federal Motor Transport Authority: In September, both models made it into the top 10 of the most frequently registered electric cars in Germany, with each selling over 2,000 units. According to Dataforce’s analysis for the “Handelsblatt,” the GLC saw nearly 7,400 new registrations across Europe in September. In contrast, the previous gasoline-powered GLC reached 6,500 units per month in its best-selling year of 2025.
With the all-electric versions of the C-Class, GLA, and GLB, more Mercedes electric vehicles are now entering roads in Germany and Europe, likely to further stimulate demand. According to insider information from the “Handelsblatt,” Mercedes has additional electric cars in development: the all-electric E-Class is set to be unveiled at the IAA in Munich in September 2027. An all-electric A-Class is also expected to follow in 2028.