Mercedes Faces Production Delays for Electric GLC Due to Component Shortages

Mercedes-Benz is encountering significant difficulties in starting production of the new electric GLC at its Bremen plant, according to German media reports. The main cause is a shortage of crucial components: batteries from CATL and electrical wiring harnesses from Kromberg & Schubert. These supply disruptions have led to uneven production, forcing customers to wait approximately six months for their vehicles.

Although the company claims the model is in high demand and that production issues have largely been resolved, delivery delays continue to affect results. CATL's problems in the European supply chain are related to delays at its new factory in Hungary and a shift to transporting batteries from China, which extends logistics. Meanwhile, Kromberg & Schubert's deliveries were hampered by floods in Morocco.

The production challenges are also reflected in sales data. Since mid-May, only about 3,300 GLC electric vehicles have been registered in Europe, while competitor BMW iX3 has achieved around 15,500 units in the same period. Mercedes nevertheless hopes to recover lost ground, citing its own data showing that the GLC was ordered more frequently than any other company electric car in the first three months of the year.