Mercedes-Benz Launches Electric GLC in China, Priced from RMB 339,800

On July 8, the all-new Mercedes-Benz electric GLC SUV officially entered the Chinese market. The new model is offered in three trims, with the Jinjin Edition officially launched at RMB 339,800, while the Huiyin Edition and Xingbo Edition are now available for pre-order at RMB 299,900 and RMB 388,800, respectively. Built on Mercedes-Benz's dedicated MB. EA electric architecture, the model marks the opening of the brand's product offensive for the second half of the year and is a key product as Mercedes-Benz celebrates 140 years in China.

In the first half of 2026, the domestic auto market faced multiple pressures including model iteration cycles, energy price fluctuations, and consumer wait-and-see sentiment, intensifying price competition in the luxury segment. Mercedes-Benz delivered over 110,000 passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in China in Q2, continuing to lead the domestic core luxury market above RMB 400,000 and the high-end luxury market above RMB 1 million. In the first half, the fuel-powered long-wheelbase GLC SUV ranked first in sales in the BBA same-segment market and topped the May retention rate list for joint-venture luxury mid-size SUVs. Beijing Benz's vehicle manufacturing system retained the top spot in the 2025 three-year retention rate ranking for joint-venture manufacturers. In the high-end luxury market, the AMG brand maintained the top sales position in China's high-performance luxury vehicle segment, while the S-Class family (including Mercedes-Maybach S-Class) continued to lead the million-yuan luxury sedan sales list. High-end models such as the Maybach GLS SUV and AMG GLC 43 4MATIC achieved double-digit year-on-year sales growth.

In terms of electrification, Mercedes-Benz's pure electric passenger car sales in Q2 grew 51% year-on-year, and the group's cumulative electric vehicle sales in the first half rose 28% year-on-year. The new electric GLC offers a maximum CLTC range of 703 km, with a 10-minute fast charge adding approximately 300 km of range. It comes standard with an electric two-speed transmission and a four-wheel-drive disconnect system, both unique in its class. The vehicle underwent nearly 5 million kilometers of road durability testing and more than 230 real-vehicle crash safety verifications. The battery uses a CTM integrated packaging structure, and after a 100,000-kilometer durability teardown test, battery health remained at 93%. The launch also includes comprehensive purchase benefits of up to RMB 50,000 (for the Jinjin Edition), covering free supercharging credits, intelligent driving service packages, financial subsidies, and original factory configuration upgrades.

Mercedes-Benz has clearly defined its core route of equal intelligence for both fuel and electric vehicles, planning to gradually cover the majority of its product matrix with AI-powered intelligent cockpits and urban and highway navigation assistance within the next 6 to 12 months. In the second half of the year, the fuel vehicle track will introduce new flagship models including the next-generation S-Class, Maybach S-Class, and the domestically produced long-wheelbase GLE, all equipped with efficient large-displacement powertrains, localized AI intelligent cockpits, and full-domain navigation assistance systems. On the pure electric track, in addition to continued deliveries of the electric GLC, the pure electric VLE model based on a new MPV architecture will also be released within the year. In terms of intelligent driving technology, urban navigation assistance has been activated nationwide in Q2. By the end of the year, the "parking-to-parking" full-chain navigation capability will be implemented, prioritizing flagship models such as the next-generation S-Class, Maybach S-Class, and domestically produced long-wheelbase GLE SUV. The industry-leading "reinforcement learning + world model" will achieve the first mass production of "physical AI" technology within the year, with delivered owners able to upgrade for free via OTA. The intelligent driving system co-developed with Momenta adheres to the safety logic of "human-machine co-driving."

The new electric GLC features a localized virtual assistant integrated with the Doubao large model, adding a new "Xiaoben" image and supporting multi-dialect voice recognition interaction. The entire intelligent cockpit and intelligent driving solutions were developed by a local Chinese R&D team. Mercedes-Benz has built its most complete R&D matrix outside Germany in China, with more than 2,000 local R&D personnel. Previously, the rear-seat high-end in-car entertainment system developed by the Chinese R&D team has been adopted in Mercedes-Benz models globally. In terms of channels, the "smart badge" digital tool has covered more than 80% of dealer stores nationwide, with plans to achieve full coverage by 2026. The customer service AI tool CS AI Copilot was fully deployed nationwide at the end of June. The "140 Years of Innovation Journey" global tour has covered 10 cities in China, and the "Mercedes-Benz 140-Year Brand Exhibition" and the new Mercedes-Benz brand experience space will land in Shanghai this autumn.