Mercedes-Benz Cars recorded its highest quarterly electric vehicle sales in the third quarter of 2026, driven by the electric GLC despite a decline in the company’s overall global deliveries.
Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales reached 68,400 units, up 61% from a year earlier and 29% against the second quarter.
The electric GLC led the increase, with sales more than tripling compared with the preceding quarter, although Mercedes-Benz did not disclose individual model volumes.
Electric vehicles accounted for a record 16.8% of Mercedes-Benz Cars’ global sales, up 7.2 percentage points year-on-year.
In Europe, BEV sales jumped 78% compared with the same quarter last year, with nearly one in three Mercedes-Benz cars sold being fully electric.
Demand has also outstripped available supply. Mercedes-Benz said its electric GLC, CLA, GLB and GLA were sold out in Europe for the remainder of 2026, with orders extending well into 2027.
Its Bremen, Rastatt and Kecskemét factories are operating three shifts to meet demand.
Meanwhile, electric CLA sales increased 24% quarter-on-quarter as deliveries expanded into additional markets, including the United States and Japan.
Including plug-in hybrids, electrified vehicles represented 25% of Mercedes-Benz Cars’ worldwide sales during the quarter.
The EV gains contrasted with weaker overall performance. Mercedes-Benz Cars delivered 407,200 vehicles globally, down 8% year-on-year, mainly due to difficult market conditions in China.
Sales in China fell 31% to 86,800 units, while Europe recorded 5% growth and North America gained 4%.
Including commercial vans, Mercedes-Benz Group sold 78,100 BEVs during the quarter, representing a 52% year-on-year increase.
