Electric Mercedes CLA and GLC Sold Out for 2026: Order Now, Wait Until Spring 2027
Anyone ordering an electric Mercedes CLA or GLC today faces a wait of about six months. Mercedes sales chief Mathias Geisen said a car configured now would be delivered around April 2027, as demand for the new 800-volt models outstrips production.
Key takeaways
- The electric CLA and GLC have a lead time of about six months; new orders arrive around April 2027.
- Mercedes says the new electric GLC, CLA, GLB and GLA are sold out in Europe for the rest of 2026.
- The CLA has passed 71,000 European registrations since its launch in September 2025.
- Mercedes sold a record 68,400 electric passenger cars in the third quarter of 2026.
Sold out into 2027
Geisen spoke at the celebration of Mercedes-Benz's 140th anniversary, according to a report by electrive. With the quarterly results, he said the new electric GLC, CLA, GLB and GLA "are sold out in Europe for the rest of the year, with order books extending into 2027". He added: "This shows that our model offensive is in full swing."
The electric GLC led the growth: its sales more than tripled compared with the second quarter. According to Dataforce, the GLC had almost 7,400 European registrations in September 2026, more than the combustion GLC's best month in 2025, about 6,500. In Germany, the CLA and GLC each passed 2,000 registrations in September and were both in the top ten new electric cars.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Lead time (CLA, GLC) | About 6 months, delivery around April 2027 |
| CLA European registrations | More than 71,000 since September 2025 |
| CLA monthly average | About 5,400 (predecessor: 3,500 in 2021 to 2024) |
| GLC European registrations, September 2026 | Almost 7,400 |
| Electric passenger cars, Q3 2026 | 68,400 (up 61 % year on year) |
| Electric share of car sales, Q3 2026 | 16.8 % |
Factories at full stretch
To keep battery supply going, the Accumotive battery assembly plant in Kamenz, Saxony, has been running six days a week in three shifts since June. The GLC had a slow start at the Bremen plant, where a shortage of critical components held back deliveries at first. The CLA is built in Rastatt.
The numbers show how fast the switch is happening at Mercedes. In the third quarter, almost one in three Mercedes passenger cars sold in Europe was fully electric, while in China overall sales fell by 31 %.
What it means for buyers
If you want an electric CLA or GLC soon, ask dealers about stock cars and demonstrators, because a new factory order will take until spring 2027. More electric models are on the way: electric versions of the C-Class, GLA and GLB are now reaching customers, and according to Handelsblatt an electric E-Class will be shown at the IAA in Munich in September 2027.
See our pages on the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the GLC, or compare running costs with the cost of ownership calculator.
Sources
- electrive: Mercedes in high demand as six-month lead time for CLA and GLC (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- GreentechLead: Mercedes-Benz EV sales jump 52 % to 78,100 in Q3 2026 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
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