Mercedes Benz-Vans has teased a new concept that previews the next-generation V-Class and Vito. It will debut in the spring of 2025 as a “luxurious, highly elegant, and spacious” vision of the future.

The company isn’t saying much else at this point, but the teasers show a stylish van that trades boxy looks for a curvaceous aesthetic. Details are hard to make out, but we can see a prominent hood ornament as well as a revamped greenhouse that eschews hard lines.

More: Mercedes Teases Future Electric Vans With VAN.EA Prototypes

They’re joined by a sloping roof and a heavily stylized body. We can also see metallic accents as well as ornate lighting units.

Little else is known about the concept at this point, but the model will ride on the new Van Electric Architecture known as VAN.EA. It’s modular and scalable, which will allow “clear differentiation between privately positioned vans in the luxury segment and commercial vans in the premium segment.”

The luxury segment is getting more attention this time around and the company said we can expect high-quality family vans, exclusive VIP shuttles, and “spacious limousines catering to the expectations of highly sophisticated customers.” In effect, it sounds like the company wants to grab a slice of the executive van segment, which has been dominated by aftermarket companies.

The redesigned vans are scheduled to arrive in 2026 and Mercedes has previously said they’ll offer front- and all-wheel drive as well as an 800 volt electrical architecture. They’ll also have a 22 kW AC charger and the latest version of the Mercedes‑Benz Operating System.

Some versions will have ranges “well over” 311 miles (500 km) and a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system. A Level 3 system is slated to arrive before the end of the decade, while commercial vans will offer a Level 4 system for robotaxi use.

The redesigned Mercedes CLA has been a familiar sight for the past 22 months, but the model is finally entering the homestretch. It’s now celebrating by stripping down and showing some skin.

While the front and rear ends are heavily camouflaged, the latest prototype has an exposed body. It’s immediately familiar, but incorporates some cues from the EQE and EQS.

More: Mercedes Details New CLA’s Two EV And Three Hybrid Powertrains

The changes are readily apparent as we can see streamlined bodywork as well as flush-mounted door handles. The greenhouse has also been completely revamped and it’s an awkward mess as the third quarter glass extends into the rear door. As a result, there’s mismatched lines and an unappealing mix of shapes.

At the ends, there are star-infused lighting units which have become a hallmark of the modern Mercedes. They’re joined by an evolutionary single bar grille and new bumpers.

The redesigned CLA will debut next year and ride on the new Mercedes Modular Architecture. The company has revealed quite a bit in recent months and has previously confirmed an electric variant with a rear-mounted motor producing 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS).

Customers can also opt for a 4Matic variant, which adds a 107 hp (80 kW / 109 PS) motor up front. It only has a ‘boost’ capability as the motor engages when extra power or traction is needed.

We’ll learn more about the electric powertrain closer to launch, but Mercedes has already confirmed the CLA has an 800-volt electrical architecture as well as a DC fast charging capability of up to 320 kW. The company also has plans to offer an optional 85 kWh silicon oxide battery.

If you’re not sold on the electric revolution, you can look forward to a new family of four-cylinder petrol engines. Americans will get a hybridized powertrain that consists of a 1.5-liter engine, a small battery, and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with an integrated electric motor. The engine produces 188 hp (140 kW / 190 PS), while the motor contributes an additional 27 hp (20 kW / 27 PS). Front-wheel drive comes standard, but all-wheel drive will be optional.

Baldauf

Pope Francis has received an early Christmas present as Mercedes has delivered a new Popemobile based on the G 580 with EQ technology. It will become the latest in a long line of G-Class based Popemobiles, which have been used by Popes  John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.

The one-off model was developed in close cooperation with the Vatican and features a pearl white exterior as well as an open top design. This required extensive modifications and Mercedes said the left rear door was removed, rebuilt, and “seamlessly welded into the bodyshell.” The right rear door remains, but has been completely revamped and now opens suicide-style.

More: Mercedes G-Class Popemobile Turns 40 Years Old

Using that door will take you to an elevated platform, which features a centrally positioned swiveling seat that is height-adjustable. It looks more like a piece of furniture than a car seat and Mercedes said it enables the Pope to “move around flexibly” as well as address audiences from different angles.

Besides the fancy papal chair, there are two jump-style seats located behind it. The G-Class also has rear steps as well as rear platforms for security personnel. If bad weather is in the forecast, the electric Geländewagen can be outfitted with a hardtop that provides a smidge of protection.

Mercedes was coy on performance details, but revealed the quad-motor all-wheel drive system has been “adapted to the particularly low-speeds required for public appearances.” That’s not much to go on, but the standard model has a 116 kWh battery pack as well as a combined output of 579 hp (432 kW / 587 PS) and 859 lb-ft (1,163 Nm) of torque. This enables the SUV to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 4.6 seconds, hit a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h), and have an EPA-estimated range of 239 miles (385 km).

While this is the latest G-Class based Popemobile, Mercedes has been supplying cars to the Vatican for nearly 100 years. The first was a Nürburg 460 Pullman for Pope Pius XI, which was delivered in 1930.

Photos Mercedes-Benz

Spy photographers have caught the Mercedes GLC EV undergoing testing ahead of its launch in 2026. While the prototype is still heavily camouflaged, some of the disguise is starting to come off.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much to see up front as the prototype has a fully enclosed grille that is flanked by temporary headlights. They’re joined by a wide lower intake and a streamlined hood, which is hidden beneath bulky padding.

More: 2027 Mercedes GLC EV Spied With A New Front End

The sides show a lot more detail as we can see pronounced wheel arches with plastic body cladding. They’re joined by flush-mounted door handles and a greenhouse that mimics the EQE and EQS SUVs. However, the GLC EV has more traditional front side glass and that’s a welcome change.

Designers also gave the crossover an upward sweeping beltline and muscular rear haunches. Elsewhere, there are circular taillight graphics inspired by the Mercedes star emblem. We can also get a glimpse of a minimalist spoiler and a plain rear bumper.

Baldauf

We still haven’t gotten a good look inside, but the crossover will presumably echo newer models and feature a freestanding digital instrument cluster as well as an infotainment system with a portrait orientation.

Mercedes hasn’t said much about the GLC EV, but CEO Ola Källenius recently confirmed it will arrive in 2026 and ride on the MB.EA platform. Little is known about it, but the architecture should be more advanced than the MMA platform that will underpin entry-level models such as the redesigned CLA.

That particular car hints at the GLC’s capabilities as it offers an 800-volt electrical architecture and a 320 kW DC fast charging capability that can deliver up to 186 miles (300 km) of range in as little as ten minutes. The model also promises a WLTP range in excess of 466 miles (750 km).

While a lot of this is an apples to oranges comparison, some electric motors may carryover. As a result, it’s interesting to note the CLA will have a rear-mounted motor with up to 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS). 4Matic variants add a front-mounted motor producing 107 hp (80 kW / 109 PS).

SH Proshots

Mercedes-Benz is looking to reimagine how mechanical brakes work on electric vehicles and has developed a system that shifts the brakes in-board, reducing unsprung mass along with other benefits.

Engineers from the German carmaker say that the regenerative braking systems of EVs can handle 98% of braking scenarios, meaning mechanical brakes are only necessary in emergencies when maximum braking force is required. With this in mind, engineers have developed a system where the actual brakes are located inside the motor transmission unit.

Read: Mercedes Details New CLA’s Two EV And Three Hybrid Powertrains

By moving the brakes in-board, up to 200 lbs of unnecessary weight from the corners of a vehicle could be shifted more centrally, improving handling. It would also allow for fully-enclosed wheels to be used, boosting aerodynamics and improving range. These new-age brakes work slightly differently than normal ones.

A circular brake pad is mated to the driveshaft, and two discs would clamp against it. Small trays could then be implemented to catch all the brake dust. As the brakes are fully enclosed within the motor transmission unit, they would get very hot, with Mercedes-Benz potentially using water cooling to solve this problem.

The system wouldn’t only work on dual-motor EVs with drive units at the front and rear axles. Mercedes says it would mount the brakes to the center of the front axle for EVs that only send power through the rear wheels. Engineers believe the in-board brakes can last the lifetime of a vehicle, meaning they won’t need to be serviced or replaced.

While Mercedes-Benz continues to develop and test the system, it has yet to confirm its production intentions. Should the system prove up to the task of lasting the lifetime of an EV, then it would be a no-brainer to introduce it for the brand’s future EVs.

BYD makes more EVs than anyone, and it makes them for less money than most Western automakers can comprehend. But there is a cost, and it’s being paid by the workers in its supply chains, according to a new report investigating human rights risks in the EV industry.

Amnesty International’s Recharge for Rights study ranked 13 automakers according to how they address human rights risks in their mineral supply chains. BYD came bottom with a score of just 11 out of a potential 90 points, with Mitsubishi not far behind on 13 points.

Related: Microsoft’s AI Helps Find Promising New Battery Material With 70% Less Lithium

Hyundai (21), Geely and Nissan (22 apiece) came out looking like bad guys but Tesla (49) and top-rated Mercedes (51) performed far better. Not that even Benz’s score was enough to please the Amnesty investigators, who suggest that only a total of 68 points or more shows an adequate commitment to human rights issues.

Although EVs don’t produce tailpipe emissions, their batteries need huge quantities of minerals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt. And while many of us are aware of the environmental damage caused by mining lithium, Amnesty International says the cobalt mining industry is ripe for the abuse of workers, some of whom in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, which generates 25 percent of the world’s supply, are children.

BYD was marked down for refusing to reveal the name of the smelter, refiner, and mine that supply its minerals, but Geely, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and GM were all guilty of a lack of transparency. In contrast, the best-rated brands were able to provide supply-chain mapping.

Human rights score

“As the global transition to electric vehicles gains momentum, drives global competition and allows for huge profit, Amnesty International is calling on all car makers to improve their human rights due diligence efforts and bring them in line with international human rights standards,” said the organization’s Agnès Callamard.

The need for automakers to prove the origins of their batteries’ minerals to be eligible for EV credits has improved transparency, Wired notes. And there are steep fines (and market access restrictions) awaiting companies who flout rules governing supply chain welfare contained in the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive that came into force in Europe this summer.

But Callamard believes there’s more to be done.

“Those lagging behind need to work harder and faster to show that human rights isn’t just a fluff phrase, but an issue they take seriously,” she says. “It’s time to shift gears and ensure electric vehicles don’t leave behind a legacy of human rights abuses – instead, the industry must drive a just energy future that leaves no one behind.”

Depreciation is a fact of life, but what you buy has a big impact on resale values down the line. To help consumers, J.D. Power has released their 2025 U.S. ALG Residual Value Awards which highlight the vehicles that are projected to hold the highest percentage of their manufacturer’s suggested retail price after three years of ownership.

The winners aren’t exactly a surprise as Honda and Lexus walked away with top honors for the fourth consecutive year. J.D. Power’s Danny Battaglia credited part of this success to Honda’s pricing discipline as well as Lexus’ restraint on incentives, which can negatively impact resale values of older vehicles.

More: 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Starts At $59,595

Besides being named the best premium brand, Lexus picked up the most model-level awards. Class honors went to the IS, LS, NX, RX, and TX. Their mainstream counterpart, Toyota, also picked up awards for the Camry and GR Supra as well as the Tundra and Land Cruiser.

Japanese models dominated the rankings as Honda scored wins for the Civic, Passport and Odyssey, while Subaru picked up accolades for the Crosstrek, Forester, and WRX. Other awards went to the Acura Integra and Nissan Kicks.

American brands might have played second fiddle, but GM racked up five wins. The Chevrolet Corvette was named the best “midsize premium sporty car,” while the Cadillac Escalade was the best large premium SUV. GMC also picked up awards for the Sierra 3500 HD as well as the Hummer EV Pickup and SUV.

Interestingly, the soon to be launched Dodge Charger Daytona was named the best electric car. While it remains to be seen what resale values will look like three years from now, electric coupes are virtually unheard of in America so the Charger Daytona doesn’t really have any competition.

Sticking with EVs, the Tesla Model 3 was dubbed the best premium electric car. The Hyundai Kona EV, on the other hand, was named best electric SUV.

Awards were also given to the BMW X1 and 5-Series, Jeep Gladiator and Wagoneer, and Kia Telluride. Mercedes’ only win was for the Sprinter, which took the commercial van class.

Mercedes has begun to reveal more secrets about its crucial new CLA compact sedan that goes on sale next year, including the five different electric and hybrid powertrain options buyers will choose from. The CLA is the first of a family of new small Mercedes cars that’ll eventually consist of a sedan, wagon and two SUVs, all built around the same MMA platform capable of taking both EV and combustion tech.

Related: Mercedes CEO Drives 2026 Electric CLA, Reveals AI Assistant And 2-Speed Transmission

And it sounds like the fully-electric versions will live up the promises made by the 2023 CLA Concept. Like the show car, the production CLA will feature 800-volt charging and expects to be rated at 466 WLTP miles (750 km) of electric range in its most efficient spec. Capable of swallowing a 320 kW DC charge, the CLA will be able to add 36 kWh of energy in 10 minutes, and can be ordered with 58 kWh LFP or larger and more energy-dense 85 kWh silicon oxide anode batteries.

Entry-level rear-wheel drive versions get a single 268 hp (200 kW / 272 PS) motor on the rear axle that drives through a two-speed transmission, and all-wheel drive models add a 107 hp (80 kW / 109 PS) electric motor on the font axle that is disengaged when not needed for maximum efficiency.

Even more powerful AMG-branded CLAs will appear in time, but Mercedes isn’t talking about them just yet. But it is happy to talk about the hybrid-engined versions of the CLA that will minimise the company’s exposure to a slowdown in the EV market.

The 1.5-liter Miller-cycle combustion engine under the hood is available in 134 hp (136 PS), 161 hp (163 PS) and 188 hp (190 PS) tunes, each boosted by a 27 hp (20 kW / 27 PS) electric motor tucked inside a wide-ratio eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. As with the EV, both two- and 4Matic all-wheel drive configurations will be available, though in the hybrid’s case the base car is front-, not rear-wheel drive.

Mercedes says its choice to use four rather than three cylinders (like BMW employs) means the CLA hybrid is more refined than rival cars and explains that it can drive on electric power “at urban speeds,” though doesn’t specify how far or how fast it can move without waking the ICE motor.

Shoppers eyeing a new Mercedes-Benz EV may soon find themselves in a stronger negotiating position, thanks to a fresh dealership incentive program rolled out by the German automaker. Dubbed the ‘Q4 2024 EQ Sales Challenge’, the initiative runs through January 2, 2025, and rewards dealers $2,000 for each 2024-model-year electric vehicle sold—provided they meet monthly sales quotas.

Dealers hitting quarterly targets can unlock an additional $1,000 per unit sold raising the total to $3,000 and creating a potentially lucrative opportunity for those moving inventory swiftly.

Read: Mercedes-AMG Teases New Electric Super-SUV

As reported by Cars Direct, the program is designed to pad dealership margins across the United States, but it’s worth noting the savings won’t automatically trickle down to buyers. Whether or not customers see a slice of this incentive pie will hinge entirely on the generosity—or desperation—of individual dealers.

Still, Mercedes is already dangling significant offers to tempt buyers. For instance, the high-performance Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 is currently available with $7,500 in Lease Bonus Cash and a massive $15,000 Incentive Bonus.

Of course, those interested in picking up the keys to a new Mercedes EV, particularly those in the luxury segment, should be aware that many models experience eye-watering levels of depreciation. This phenomenon isn’t limited to Mercedes products and impacts many, if not most, EVs out there, but the depreciation experienced by some higher-end models is particularly shocking.

Earlier this year, a study found that on average, the Mercedes EQS loses 47.8% of its value just 12 months after purchase. Plenty of other high-end EVs lose value at an alarming rate, including the likes of the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron.

Looking ahead, the EQS itself is living on borrowed time. A facelift is in the works, but it’s not expected to survive into a second generation, as the German company will merge it and the S-Class into a single model line offered in both ICE and BEV guises. The electric version of the next S-Class will be underpinned by the MB.EA Large architecture while the ICE version will use the existing Modular Rear Architecture platform.

America is a deeply divided country, but there’s one thing that unites all of us – hatred of car dealers. However, a new study suggests things are getting slightly better.

According to J.D. Power, overall customer satisfaction with purchasing a vehicle climbed from a score of 793 last year to 801 in 2024. That’s basically an 80% grade as scores are based on a 1,000 point scale.

More: Study Finds 25% Of Car Buyers Won’t Return To Dealership That Charged Above MSRP

So what’s behind the improvement? Pricing and inventory. The shortages and markups from the pandemic have largely subsided, meaning some of the power has shifted from dealers back to consumers.

Given these developments, it’s not surprising to learn the number of people paying over MSRP has dropped significantly. J.D. Power says 15% of mass market buyers paid over sticker last year, but that number dropped to 8% in 2024. For premium buyers, the number fell from 10% to 6%.

While everyone can get onboard with lower prices, dealers still have a lot of work to do in regards to personnel, paperwork, and delivery. It also appears the EV buying experience is significantly worse than that of an ICE-powered vehicle.

The buyer satisfaction score for mass market ICE-powered vehicles was 857, but just 822 for EVs. J.D. Power also noted a “similar pattern exists among buyers of premium vehicles.”

Part of this appears to be a lack of dealership employees knowledgeable about electric vehicles. However, even Tesla buyers had “markedly lower satisfaction with the effectiveness of the vehicle features explanation.”

Among premium brands, sales satisfaction was highest at Porsche. They were followed by Infiniti and Jaguar. Genesis got a dismal rating of 781, while Alfa Romeo was second to last with a significantly higher score of 810. That put them two points behind Mercedes and Lexus.

On the mainstream side of things, top honors went to Mini, Buick, and Subaru. Chrysler, Mitsubishi, and Toyota were the worst.

Update 12/13: Mercedes-AMG has kicked off the next phase of development for its high-performance electric SUV, marking the second model to ride on the AMG.EA platform. Prototypes of both the SUV and the mechanically related GT 4-Door are now undergoing cold-weather testing in northern Sweden, close to the Arctic Circle. Sub-zero temps are putting key components through their paces on both public roads and specialized tracks, giving engineers a proper workout.

To mark the occasion, AMG has decided to give us a peek at the prototype itself—well, kind of. It’s still wrapped in enough camouflage to make a spy movie jealous, but we can already catch the design vibes in the fresh video that they dropped. It looks set to borrow heavily from the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door EV in terms of styling, with soft, rounded lines and a fairly low-slung silhouette for an SUV.

Original story follows below.

Previously, Mercedes-AMG dropped a teaser for its first standalone electric SUV, scheduled for a 2026 debut. Built on a dedicated AMG platform, this model aims to go beyond the typical formula of adding special touches to a standard Mercedes SUV. Instead, it’s designed from the ground up with AMG’s performance DNA at its core.

Developed “entirely in-house” on the AMG.EA architecture, it will be a bespoke AMG offering, rather than the performance derivative of a Mercedes SUV. The brand’s insistence on it being “AMG first, all-electric second” hints at a potential rethink of what an electric performance SUV can actually deliver.

More: Thank God The 2026 Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 Has A Roaring V8

The teaser sketch gives us a few clues. It reveals a muscular profile with a long hood, aggressive fender lines, and a sweeping roofline that’s a bit more Purosangue-inspired than you’d expect from a German SUV. Still, it’s less ostentatious than Ferrari’s take—AMG has always preferred a slightly more understated approach to menace.

The AMG.EA platform features an 800V architecture and is expected to support both the upcoming, yet-to-be-named SUV and the electric successor to the 4-Door AMG GT. Both EVs will be equipped with lightweight axial-flux electric motors, custom-developed for AMG by UK-based company Yasa.

A quad-motor setup is expected to produce over 1,000 hp (746 kW / 1,014 PS), offering all-wheel-drive and advanced torque vectoring abilities. The model will also benefit from four-wheel steering, active suspension, and an AMG-specific battery.

The SUV is expected to be similar in size to the 2022 Vision AMG concept, measuring around 5.1 meters (200 inches) in length, with a wheelbase stretching over 3 meters (118 inches). This gives it a larger footprint than the ICE-powered Mercedes-AMG GLE 63, edging it closer to the scale of the fully electric EQS SUV flagship.

On paper, its rivals span both ends of the propulsion spectrum. It’ll face off against gas-powered heavyweights like the Porsche Cayenne GT and Aston Martin DBX, as well as hybrid and all-electric contenders such as the BMW XM, Lamborghini Urus, and the Lotus Eletre.

We’ll likely get more breadcrumbs from AMG in the months to come, as the slow-drip teaser campaign ramps up. The company has confirmed that development test drives are set to begin this winter.

An SUV that's 100% born in Affalterbach is coming. Built on the AMG.EA platform, it’s the first fully electric SUV crafted entirely in-house by AMG.#MercedesAMG #AMGThrill pic.twitter.com/L73TDjJ8MS

— Mercedes-AMG (@MercedesAMG) November 7, 2024

The third-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA is just around the corner, and it’s set to debut with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine sourced from Horse Powertrain Limited—the internal combustion engine (ICE) joint venture between Renault and Geely.

Reportedly, Mercedes lent its engineering expertise to develop this ICE unit, which is expected to churn out a respectable 250 horsepower and 265 lb-ft (360 Nm) of torque. Production will take place in China, but the catalytic converter won’t be installed until the engine arrives in Germany, ensuring it complies with Europe’s strict emissions standards. The transcontinental production process may seem a bit convoluted, but it reflects the increasingly globalized nature of automotive engineering.

Read: 2026 Mercedes CLA Previewed With Concept Car Looks

While you may think it sounds a little odd for the new-generation CLA to use an engine from Geely and Renault, it’s worth noting that Geely chief executive Li Shufu owns a 10% stake in Mercedes-Benz. Geely also operates a joint venture with the German carmaker to build Smart EVs. And for those thinking this is a new development, it’s worth remembering that both the first and second-generation CLA 180d models relied on diesel engines developed in collaboration with Renault and Nissan. This crossover DNA is practically baked into the CLA’s lineage.

According to CarNewsChina, some reports hint that this four-cylinder could come paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that integrates a starter motor directly into the transmission, making for a smoother, more efficient driving experience.

The imported engine isn’t the only Chinese tech making its way into the new CLA. The compact-sized sedan will also feature an advanced driver assistance system developed by Chinese startup Momenta. While the name of the brand may not ring a bell, Mercedes-Benz has been a backer of Momenta since 2017. It’s also received investment from GM, SAIC, and Yunfeng Capital, owned by billionaire businessman Jack Ma. Momenta’s system does not rely on high-definition maps and instead supports assisted driving in urban environments.

There’s plenty more to look forward to with the new CLA. In addition to featuring efficient four-cylinder engines, several all-electric versions will be produced around an 800-volt electrical architecture. A high-performance, AMG-branded version of the EV is also in the pipeline.

Opening illustration by Josh Byrnes/Carscoops

Spotting the changes hiding under the camouflage of a facelifted prototype is part of the job around here. But this 2027 Mercedes GLC EV is a different case. It appears to have had a facelift before even reaching the market.

The GLC EV is the upcoming replacement for the EQC electric SUV, and our spy photo team has captured it several times over the past year or so. But this latest set of scoop images shows a prototype with a totally different front-end design to the one seen on earlier test cars.

Related: Electric Mercedes C-Class And GLC Confirmed For 2026

Those previous prototypes’ hoods featured a straight line across the nose a bit like on the current EQC, but placed further down the car so that it ran between the headlights rather than above them. And that seemed to fit with the new design language Mercedes had teased on the 2023 CLA concept car.

But this new SUV’s hood has a large notch cut into it, presumably to make space for a big Mercedes grille. That would give the GLC EV a similar family look to cars like the current E-Class sedan. The doors still feature some unusual ridges above their flush door handles and the placeholder taillights, but we expect to see new prototypes fitted with the final production equipment in the next few months.

Although this SUV replaces the EQC, it probably won’t wear that badge. Mercedes is changing up its naming strategy and called the electric version of the G-wagon the G-Class with EQ Technology, instead of EQG. So what we could have here is a GLC with EQ Technology.

It’s not only the name of the electric G-Class that’s changing. The EQC was an EV-converted combustion SUV but its replacement rides on a dedicated electric platform. We don’t know any firm technical details at this stage – the model doesn’t debut until 2026 – but Mercedes showcased 800-volt charging tech on the CLA concept so it would make sense for the GLC to get that too, although the CLA is built on the new MMA architecture and the GLC uses the MB.EA platform designed for medium and larger cars.

Images: Baldauf

Mercedes has long been a huge proponent of electric vehicles, and their lineup proves it. The company’s offerings include the EQA, EQB, EQE, EQE SUV, EQS, EQS SUV, and more recently, even an electric G-Class. Depending on the market, you can also find the EQT and EQV rounding out the electric range. It’s an impressive array of EVs—but the numbers suggest Mercedes may have overplayed its hand.

That’s a ton of electric vehicles and they’re coming back to haunt the luxury brand as third quarter sales of EVs plummeted 31 percent from a year ago. Customers only snapped up 42,544 units in Q3, which was a drop of 19,077.

More: Chinese Buyers Are Ditching German Cars For Local Brands, And That’s Bad News For Mercedes

Unfortunately for Mercedes, the year-to-date picture isn’t much better as electric vehicle sales are off 22.1%. Through the first nine months of the year, the brand has only sold 135,908 EVs and that’s down from 174,471 units this time last year.

And it’s not just the EVs that are struggling. Mercedes-Benz Cars’ overall sales also slipped, dropping 1.4% to 503,573 units. While that might seem like a modest decrease, plug-in hybrids sales fell 14.7%, totaling just 87,232 units—a worrisome trend for a brand heavily invested in electrification.

Mercedes-Benz Group Q3 Results

Mercedes-Benz Vans also underperformed, so it’s not surprising that third quarter Group revenues fell 6.7%. That doesn’t sound too bad, but the big news is that earnings before interest and taxes dropped 48%, while earnings per share fell 47.5% to €1.81 ($1.96).

The latter two figures paint a bad picture, but Mercedes tried to put a positive spin on things by claiming “solid sales … despite product transitions, a challenging market environment and fierce competition, particularly in China.” However, CFO Harald Wilhelm was more direct as he said “The Q3 results do not meet our ambitions.” The financial guru added, Mercedes is “taking a prudent view about market evolution going forward and … will step up all efforts on further efficiency increases and cost improvements across the business.”

For the year, Mercedes-Benz Cars expects sales to be “slightly below” 2023 levels. As such, they’re expecting the fourth quarter to be a repeat of Q3, although it could be aided by better availability of high-end models including the SL- and G-Class as well as the AMG GT and AMG E-Class.

Mercedes-Benz Cars Q3 Results

Mercedes-Benz has opened the doors to an innovative new battery recycling plant in southern Germany that it says “creates a genuine circular economy” for the brand’s electric vehicles.

The site, located in Kuppenheim, can recover more than 96% of the valuable and scarce raw materials used in the batteries of the firm’s all-electric vehicles. In fact, Mercedes says the factory can recover enough materials – including lithium, nickel, and cobalt – to produce more than 50,000 new battery modules each year.

Read: Mercedes-AMG Readying Innovative Electric Supercar With Trick Batteries And Motors

Mercedes-Benz has adopted a hydrometallurgical process at the plant that recycles the active materials that make up the electrodes of the battery cells. These materials are extracted individually in a multi-stage chemical process. The facility also shreds battery modules and can sort and separate plastics, copper, aluminum, and iron.

“Mercedes-Benz has set itself the goal of building the most desirable cars in a sustainable way,” chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Ola Källenius, said. “As a pioneer in automotive engineering, Europe’s first integrated mechanical-hydrometallurgical battery recycling factory marks a key milestone towards enhancing raw-materials sustainability. Together with our partners from industry and science, we are sending a strong signal of innovative strength for sustainable electric mobility and value creation in Germany and Europe.”

Powering the recycling operation is 100% green electricity, much of which is generated from solar panels on the roof of the building. According to Mercedes, the plant has an annual capacity of 2,500 tonnes.

The German car manufacturer wants to conserve as many resources as it can and already offers reconditioned batteries as spares for all of its EVs. Mercedes-Benz Energy also offers large-scale battery storage options that can reuse old packs that are no longer suitable for vehicle use.

Mercedes-Benz has partnered with a joint venture between engineering company SMS Group and Australian process technology developer Neometals for the recycling plant. The carmaker has invested tens of millions of euros in the site and is also receiving funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Mercedes-Benz has stripped away some of the camouflage and provided us with our best look at the 2026 CLA to date. The car takes design inspiration from a concept unveiled 12 months ago and will be offered in ICE and EV guises.

The German marque made the odd decision to unveil this thinly disguised CLA at the 39th Festival d’Hyères in France, a festival for fashion, photography, and accessories. This explains the intriguing grey and red wrap applied to the exterior of the car and while Mercedes didn’t announce any details about the car, we already know quite a lot about the upcoming model.

Read: This Is Everything We Know About The 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA

Visually, adopts a similar overall shape to its predecessors, retaining a sleek profile and a compact footprint. At the front, we can see the outline of a thoroughly overhauled grille with a shape inspired by the CLA Concept of last year. The overall shape of the headlights is also similar to the concept, but curiously, there’s no sign of the Three-Pointed Star daytime running lights incorporated within them. It doesn’t look like the full-width LED light bar has made it to production, either, unless it’s simply well hidden by the wrap.

As with the first and second-generation CLA models, the doors have plenty of bold creases and design lines, including a prominent shoulder line running from the corner of the headlights through to the corner of the taillights. Speaking of the taillights, they are quite clearly inspired by the lights of the concept and include circular LED signatures. A small lip spoiler has also been fitted to the trunk.

Underpinning the new model is Mercedes-Benz’s flexible MMA platform. All combustion-powered models are expected to be four-cylinder offerings with hybrid assistance, while the EV should use an 800-volt electrical architecture that provides charging speeds of up to 250 kW. The electric model will also support bidirectional charging capabilities and support Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) functions. A high-performance AMG version of the EV is in the works and could have upwards of 500 hp.

Mercedes is expected to unveil the new CLA in full in the coming months before launching it as a 2026 model in the United States and other markets.