Mercedes will swap EQS electric SUV production for new 300-mi GLC EV at US factory
Mercedes-Benz plans to stop building its EQS SUV in the US in favor of a new longer-range electric GLC. The move comes as Mercedes plans to make room for its upcoming GLC EV.
According to supply chain sources via Automotive News, Mercedes will move EQS SUV production to its Breman plant in the second half of the decade.
The EQS is currently built at its Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama. It was the first all-electric Mercedes built in the US, starting last August. Mercedes has since also introduced the EQE SUV.
Mercedes is moving production to make room for the new GLC EV, which a source claimed is a “cash cow.” According to AutoForecast Solutions, Mercedes will begin building the GLC EV in the first quarter of 2026.
More importantly, the auto intelligence firm predicts the new electric SUV will reach 50,000 in volume in its first year. That’s more than double the current EQS SUV.
The EQS SUV currently leads Mercedes’s US sales, with 7,086 units sold through September. However, sales were down 48% in Q3 (1,596 units sold) compared to last year (3,077).
The GLC EV will be the EQC’s successor. The EQC was expected to launch in 2020 in the US as Mercedes’ first mass-market EV but ditched the plans over its limited range.
Mercedes to launch new GLC EV
According to those briefed on the new model, the GLC EV will feature around 300 miles of range and a redesign. One dealer said the new EV has a “rounded front and rear,” replacing the boxy styling of the gas-powered version.
The new model was recently spotted testing for the first time by Auto Express, revealing a sleek crossover SUV with a short bonnet and tighter stance.
Producing the new model in the US will enable it to qualify for the IRA tax credits, according to AutoForecast VP Sam Fiorani. Mercedes also sources batteries locally at its new factory in Bibb County.
Mercedes is quickly transitioning to electric in the US. Electric vehicles accounted for nearly 15% of its US sales in the third quarter.
At a dealer meeting in May, Mercedes’ global marketing and sales chief said the automaker expects EVs to represent 40% of new car sales in the US by 2026. By 2030, she expects that number to be around 70%.
Electrek’s Take
With the US being Mercedes’ No. 1 market, according to Seeger, shuffling production makes sense.
The new GLC EV is expected to be a much higher-volume model than the current EQS. A smaller, higher volume model (presumably at a lower price point) will fit better in the automaker’s transition.
It’s also expected to ride on the new Mercedes MMA platform designed to cut costs and improve efficiency.
The automaker plans to go all-electric by 2030 “where market conditions allow.”
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Tesla has started to offer discounted financing on Cybertruck as the electric pickup truck undoubtedly turns out to be a flop.
Tesla claimed over 1 million reservations for the Cybertruck, and CEO Elon Musk said he could see Tesla producing 500,000 units per year.
However, that was before Tesla announced that the production version would be much more expensive and have a shorter range than what was initially announced.
The Cybertruck has now been in production for a year and a half, and it looks like Tesla would be lucky to sell about 10% of Musk’s goal of 500,000 units.
The automaker doesn’t report Cybertruck sales, but it is estimated that Tesla delivered roughly 40,000 Cybertrucks in 2024, and it is expected to have even more issues selling the truck this year.
Tesla has taken several steps to help sales.
We reported that Tesla launched Cybertruck leases to help move vehicles. The company is even still tucked with “Foundations Series” Cybertrucks, and we found out that Tesla buffed “Foundations Series” badges out of some trucks to sell them as cheaper regular Cybertrucks.
For the remaining “Foundations Series,” which there still are despite Tesla switching to regular Cybertruck production in October, Tesla has even offered free Supercharging for life.
Now, Tesla is stepping up its game, and it is offering discounted financing on new Cybertruck orders:
Tesla announced 1.99% APR for a limited time:
1.99% APR available for a limited time for well-qualified buyers
WIthout the “promotion”, the rate for excellent credit is 5.84%.
While Tesla is discounting the rates, it is not discounting them as much as for new Model 3 orders.
We reported earlier this week that Tesla offers 0% and 0.99% with $0 down on new Model 3 orders in the US until the end of the quarter.
Electrek’s Take
It is very possible that Tesla can’t sell more than 10,000 Cybertrucks this quarter, which would extrapolate to 40,000 units per year or less than 10% of what Elon said he would see Tesla delivering.
Now, the cheaper single motor Cybertruck should help, but by how much? It could bring Tesla to 20-30% of the volume Elon saw possible?
I think it’s fairly clear that the Cybertruck is a flop.
Tesla launched a single new vehicle in the last 5 years and it is a flop.
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Environment
Toyota launched its cheapest EV in China and it crashed the server starting at just $15,000
Toyota looks to grab a bigger share of the world’s largest EV market as it takes aim at BYD and other low-cost leaders. On Thursday, Toyota launched its cheapest EV in China, the bZ3X, starting at roughly $15,000. The new electric SUV crashed the server with over 10,000 orders in an hour.
Meet Toyota’s cheapest EV in China, the bZ3X
The bz3X is Toyota’s “first 100,000 yuan-level pure electric SUV” in China and its cheapest EV to hit the market so far.
Toyota’s Chinese joint venture, GAC-Toyota officially launched the “Bozhi 3X,” or bZ3X for short, in China on March 6. Shortly after, the company said orders for its new electric SUV were “so popular that the server crashed” after revealing prices start at just over $15,000 (109,800 yuan).
After securing over 10,000 orders in just one hour, Toyota boasted again that “the server is overwhelmed.” The launch comes after blind pre-orders opened in December, starting at just under $14,000 (100,000 yuan).
The bZ3X is available in two versions, with or without its full-scenario smart driving tech. The non-smart tech model starts at 109,800 yuan ($15,000) with five trim options while the smart driving model starts at 149,800 yuan ($20,500).
For 159,800 yuan ($22,000), the range-topping “610 Max” trim provides up to 610 km (379 miles) CLTC range from a 67.92 kWh LFP battery. The base “430 Air” gets up to 430 km (267 miles) from a 50.03 kWh LFP battery pack.
Toyota said the interior provides “a mobile space that is comfortable as home,” with front and rear seats that can fold down to provide nearly 10 feet (3 meters) of space.
Inside, the electric SUV has a 14.6″ infotainment screen with voice recognition and an 8.8″ driver display. It also includes a two-spoke multi-function steering wheel.
Toyota’s new bZ3X is its first vehicle with the Momenta 5.0 Intelligent Driving System. Powered by NVIDIA Drive AGX Orin X, it comes with 25 ADAS features, such as parallel parking, remote control parking, high-speed pilot, light traffic assist, and blind spot monitoring.
GAC-Toyota claimed it will be “one of the first automakers in the world to realize a one-stage end-to-end intelligent driving model.” With human-like intelligence, the vehicle “gets smarter and better with use.”
At 4,600 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,645 mm tall, Toyota’s cheapest EV in China is about the size of BYD’s Yuan Plus (Atto 3) at 4,455 mm long, 1,875 mm wide, and 1,615 mm tall. Starting at 115,800 yuan ($16,000), Toyota’s new bZ3X slightly undercuts BYD’s electric SUV.
What do you think of Toyota’s new electric SUV? Would you buy one for around $15,000? We’ll keep dreaming.
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