Mercedes-Benz has started assembling the electric GLC at its Chakan manufacturing plant near Pune, Maharashtra, using imported knocked-down kits. The facility is the second location worldwide to assemble the new electric SUV from kits, following Thailand’s Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant, and the model’s fourth production site globally.
Mercedes-Benz India is producing only the top-end GLC 400 4MATIC variant locally. The company launched the model following the assembly line’s start-up, offering it in a single AMG Line trim priced at 7.85 million rupees (approximately €73,800). The price excludes registration, insurance and 1% Tax Collected at Source (TCS).
Electric GLC Priced Close to Combustion Model
The electric GLC carries a price premium of around 2% over the entry-level combustion-engine GLC, which starts at 7.70 million rupees (approximately €72,400).
The difference reflects India’s tax treatment of the two models. The combustion-powered GLC, introduced in 2016, is subject to a 40% Goods and Services Tax (GST), while the electric version, based on Mercedes-Benz’s MB.EA-M platform, attracts a 5% GST rate.
Mercedes-Benz India Managing Director and CEO Santosh Iyer said deliveries of the electric SUV are scheduled to begin during Diwali, which falls on November 8 this year. The festive period is traditionally an important sales season for the country’s automotive market, including luxury vehicles.
The company has received more than 1,000 bookings for the model. Iyer said demand had exceeded the initial allocation and that Mercedes-Benz was seeking additional vehicles and assembly kits from its headquarters in Stuttgart.
“This car is sold out till March of ’27, and now I’m requesting my board and colleagues back in Stuttgart to get us more cars, more kits, so that we can produce more here,”
More Than 550 Pre-Bookings in 36 Hours
Mercedes-Benz global executives, including Supervisory Board Chairman Martin Brudermueller and CEO Ola Kallenius, attended the launch event.
Kallenius highlighted the GLC’s existing position in the Indian market, where the combustion-engine model has been sold for approximately a decade.
“The GLC is our best-selling model. Here in India, it’s been on the roads for a decade now, with more than 22,000 units sold, and I’m sure the electric GLC will build on that success. In fact, it has already set off at full speed. More than 550 pre-bookings in the first 36 hours. This is a new record for us in India,”
Electric GLC 400 4MATIC Specifications
The GLC 400 4MATIC uses two electric motors, with one installed on each axle. The powertrain produces a combined output of 360 kW and 800 Nm of torque, enabling acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds. Its electronically limited top speed is 210 km/h.
A 94 kWh battery pack supplies power to the motors and supports DC fast charging at up to 330 kW. Mercedes-Benz quotes a WLTP driving range of 711 km, a figure also certified by India’s Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).
The start of local assembly gives Mercedes-Benz an additional production base for the electric GLC in a market where the company is seeking to expand its electric vehicle offering. The model’s initial booking volume and limited availability through March 2027 indicate that demand has exceeded the allocation currently available to its Indian operation.