Mercedes in high demand as six-month lead time for CLA and GLC

Mercedes-Benz is surprised by the high demand for its all-electric models CLA and GLC. Currently, the delivery time for both vehicles is six months. The battery plant in Kamenz has been operating six days a week in a three-shift system since June to secure the supply of traction batteries.

Mercedes-Benz CLA (top) and GLC (bottom)

Bilder: Mercedes / Collage: electrive

At the celebration of Mercedes-Benz’s 140th anniversary, where the all-electric Mercedes-AMG GT SUV was unveiled, Mercedes sales board member Mathias Geisen discussed the remarkably high demand for the company’s latest electric vehicles. As reported by the Mercedes fan blog _JESMB_, Geisen stated that the 800-volt models CLA and GLC currently have a lead time of around six months. In other words, anyone ordering a custom-configured vehicle today will have to wait until April 2027.

All-Electric CLA with 71,000 registrations in Europe

While Mercedes-Benz itself has not disclosed specific sales figures for either model, _Handelsblatt_ has published an exclusive evaluation by market researcher Dataforce. According to this, the all-electric CLA has already been registered over 71,000 times since its market launch in September 2025, averaging around 5,400 units per month. In comparison, the predecessor model – which was only available with an internal combustion engine – achieved an average of just 3,500 registrations in Europe between 2021 and 2024.

The announcement of the sales figures for the third quarter of 2026 already made it clear that the electric vehicle business at Mercedes is gaining significant momentum: the Mercedes-Benz Group registered 78,100 BEVs sold between July and September of this year. This represents a 24 per cent increase compared to the second quarter and a 52 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The importance of electric models is highlighted by the EV share, which rose from 9.6 per cent in Q2 2025 to 16.8 per cent in the passenger car segment. In other words, one in six new Mercedes passenger cars delivered in the past three months had an electric powertrain.

Order books extending into next year

Sales board member Mathias Geisen commented: “Mercedes-Benz Cars has achieved the highest quarterly sales of all-electric vehicles in the company’s history, led by the electric GLC, whose sales have more than tripled compared to the second quarter. Outside China, passenger car sales in 2026 have increased for the third consecutive quarter 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, with order books extending into 2027. This shows that our model offensive is in full swing.”

To meet the high demand, the battery assembly plant of subsidiary Accumotive in Kamenz, Saxony, has been operating six days a week in three shifts around the clock since June. There had previously been production ramp-up issues in Bremen specifically for the new all-electric GLC – the best-selling model in the group’s lineup when it was still a combustion-engine vehicle. According to media reports, a shortage of critical components initially kept deliveries of the mid-size SUV at a relatively low level.

CLA and GLC already in the top 10 for EV registrations

Meanwhile, deliveries and production of the GLC, like the CLA manufactured in Rastatt, are now at a good level, as shown by registration figures for the German market from the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA): in September, both models made it into the top 10 most registered new electric cars in Germany (DE), with over 2,000 units each. According to Dataforce’s evaluation for _Handelsblatt_, the GLC achieved nearly 7,400 new registrations across Europe in September. By contrast, the previous combustion-engine GLC peaked at 6,500 units per month in its best sales year, 2025.

In addition, the all-electric versions of the C-Class, GLA, and GLB are now also hitting the roads in Germany and Europe, likely further boosting demand. According to insider information from _Handelsblatt_, Mercedes already has more electric cars in its pipeline: the all-electric E-Class is set to be unveiled at the IAA in Munich in September 2027, followed by an all-electric A-Class in 2028.