Mercedes-Benz India has started local production of the all-new Electric GLC at its manufacturing plant in Chakan, Pune. The first locally produced GLC 400 4MATIC rolled off the assembly line on Wednesday. The Maharashtra Chief Minister Mr. Devendra Fadnavis and the Deputy Chief Minister Ms. Sunetra Pawar marked the occasion.
Several top Mercedes-Benz executives also attended the roll-out, including Martin Brudermueller, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Mercedes-Benz AG; Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management, Mercedes-Benz AG; Dr. Joerg Burzer, Chief Technology Officer and Member of the Board of Management, Mercedes-Benz AG; Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India; and Vyankatesh Kulkarni, Executive Director and Head of Operations, Mercedes-Benz India.
First SUV in India on the new electric platform
The Electric GLC is the first Mercedes-Benz SUV in India built on the company’s next-generation electric vehicle architecture, MB.EA-M. It uses an 800-volt electrical system and offers a range of up to 711 km (combined WLTP, ARAI-certified). The SUV also runs the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS).
The company says the roll-out shows the efficiency and flexibility of its Indian plant and its focus on people. The plant relies on digitalisation, robotics and AI-enabled production systems.
Electric and combustion cars on one line
At Chakan, the Electric GLC is assembled on the same flexible line as Mercedes-Benz India’s internal combustion engine (ICE) models. The plant builds several vehicle platforms, with both ICE and battery-electric powertrains, under one roof.
Three decades of making in India
Mercedes-Benz India has sold more than 240,000 vehicles in the country, the most by any luxury carmaker. Most of the cars it sells are built at the Chakan plant.
The company has invested INR 3,200 crore (about EUR 320 million) in the facility. This includes an additional INR 200 crore in 2026 for new product start-ups, manufacturing operations and digitisation. The plant works with almost 20 direct suppliers in India. Beyond its own staff, the company estimates it supports about 18,000 more people at suppliers and service providers in the region.
AI and robots on the shop floor
The plant runs more than 15 live AI projects to improve quality, efficiency, decision-making and workforce skills. Camera-based Vision AI systems check quality in real time. In the supply chain, data-driven models predict likely problems so the team can act early. AI-powered tools also help train workers. Industrial robots handle critical tasks such as welding, riveting and painting. The company says it combines connected, AI-enabled systems with handcrafted precision.
Building on a decade of the GLC
The GLC arrived in India in 2016 and has since found nearly 22,000 customers. It remains one of the brand’s most successful SUVs. The electric version is aimed at tech-savvy buyers who expect digital, intuitive technology.
Early demand has been strong. Mercedes-Benz received more than 550 expressions of interest within the first 36 hours of opening bookings, even before the SUV’s India debut. Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in mid-November 2026.
Mr. Källenius, said: “India is a very important market for us, and we see tremendous potential ahead. A new generation of customers is choosing Mercedes-Benz, and we are bringing them our strongest product portfolio ever. The Electric GLC shows where we’re headed: It takes everything customers love about the GLC and brings it into the electric era: unmistakable Mercedes-Benz design, comfort and innovation, combined with electric performance. And the Electric GLC is already off to an overwhelming start. I’m convinced it will raise the bar in its segment and make electric driving even more desirable.”
Dr. Burzer said, “India is of strategic importance to Mercedes-Benz, both as a key market and as an integral part of the international R&D network. The all-electric GLC, powered by MB.OS, brings our latest digital innovations to Indian customers and creates an intuitive, seamless and deeply integrated experience. At the same time, our engineers in India are contributing to the technologies shaping the future of Mercedes-Benz globally. That combination of local expertise, global innovation and local production makes this GLC particularly special.”
According to Mr. Iyer, “Roll-out of the Electric GLC with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, along with Mercedes-Benz AG Board Members is a pivotal moment in the history of Mercedes-Benz in India. The presence of dignitaries and Mercedes-Benz’s Supervisory Board and Board of Management in India, underlines the importance of India as a strategic market for Mercedes-Benz. The roll-out of the Electric GLC will be catalyst to Mercedes-Benz’s future growth trajectory in India, as Mercedes-Benz remains committed to Indian customers, offering them desirable products and services; while contributing strongly to the Indian economy and to our local communities.”
Mr. Kulkarni, Executive Director and Head of Operations, Mercedes-Benz India, added: “Roll-out of the Electric GLC is a proud and defining moment for us at Mercedes-Benz India. With our first-ever Software Terminal, we are introducing MB.OS-architecture in our locally manufactured portfolio for our discerning Indian customers and the GLC-BEV is the first in line. Together with AI-driven shopfloor processes and a 70% expansion in solar capacity within a year, underlines our commitment to high-tech, sustainable manufacturing, powered by the passion and dedication of our people.”
