Mercedes-Benz said that its new electric models - the GLC, CLA, GLB and GLA - are fully sold out in Europe for the remainder of the year, with orders already extending into 2027.
Quick overview: Mercedes-Benz's third-quarter car sales fell 8% to 407,200 units, as a sharp decline in the Chinese market offset growth in Europe and the United States.
The German luxury automaker reported on Wednesday that passenger car sales dropped 8% year on year to 407,200 units, while global vehicle sales including vans fell 6% to 491,700 units.
However, the company's electric vehicle sales climbed sharply, with battery-electric passenger car sales surging 61% year on year to 68,400 units.
Sales chief Matthias Geisen said: "Driven by the electric GLC model, Mercedes-Benz's passenger car business recorded the company's highest-ever quarterly battery-electric vehicle sales."
"Our new electric models - the GLC, CLA, GLB and GLA - are fully sold out in Europe for the rest of this year, with order backlogs extending into 2027."
Mercedes-Benz said that in response to strong market demand, its factories in Bremen, Rastatt and Kecskemet are now running three shifts.
China is Mercedes-Benz's largest single market, and passenger car sales there plunged 31% in the quarter. Mercedes-Benz said the domestic passenger car market environment remains severe, with extremely intense industry competition.
Mercedes-Benz added that the GLC and E-Class together account for nearly two-thirds of its total passenger car sales in China, with both models proving more resilient than the broader market.
The all-new long-wheelbase electric GLC L, launched in July, is ramping up smoothly and has been well received in the Chinese market; in mid-September, Mercedes-Benz also introduced the domestically produced long-wheelbase GLE L SUV.
Passenger car sales in the United States rose 6% year on year. Mercedes-Benz said that with the new GLE, GLE Coupe and GLS arriving at dealerships, it has completed the refresh of its SUV lineup in the US market.
Overall sales in Europe rose 5%, with broad-based improvement across markets, and the strongest momentum in Germany and the United Kingdom.