Mercedes-Benz To Prioritize The 300-Mile GLC EV In The US
Giancarlo Perlas November 29, 2023To address customer demand and optimize supply chain management, Mercedes-Benz wants to move the assembly of the upcoming long-range GLC EV in its Alabama, USA, plant. However, it comes with a cost — the EQS SUV will no longer be built there.
Mercedes-Benz GLC EV In
Citing supply chain sources, Automotive News reported that Mercedes-Benz will bump up the GLC electric vehicle (EV) production in the US. This will bring the unit’s construction into the company’s Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama.
According to AutoForecast Solutions, the production of the GLC EV is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026, and Mercedes insiders claim that there are high hopes for this next “cash cow.” A defining trait of the upcoming series is its improved range, which could see it cover up to 300 miles at full charge.
The GLC EV will ride on the luxury automaker’s MMA platform, which could essentially help slash costs in its manufacture and drive up its efficiency. Its transfer to the US will let Mercedes apply for IRA tax credits while keeping it strategically close to its battery production facility in Bibb County, Georgia.
The auto intelligence research firm sees demand for the GLC EV to reach 50,000 units in its first year.
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Out
The transition of the GLC EV in Alabama will shift production of the EQS SUV to the Mercedes Bremen plant in Germany. Although the flagship of the EQ range is enjoying a huge following in the US, as evidenced by the model leading the brand’s sales in the area, its customer deliveries are nowhere near the estimated payoff for the GLC EV’s entry in the North American market.
Mercedes sold a total of 7,086 units of the EQS SUV up to September this year. However, the latest quarterly data leading to that point saw the demand for the luxury vehicle model slump by 48% on a year-on-year basis.
