Mercedes Hits Pause on China-Made CLA L After June Sales Hit Zero

Mercedes-Benz has reportedly halted production of its China-only Electric CLA L sedan, following a sales performance that can only be described as alarming. Built specifically for the Chinese market through a joint venture with BAIC Motor, the long-wheelbase EV was supposed to tap into local demand for extra rear legroom.

Instead, it appears buyers have simply walked away.

According to German outlet MBPassion, just 627 units of the Electric CLA L were delivered in China during the first half of 2025. The numbers tell a grim story: only 35 cars sold in January, 21 in February, a brief spike to 358 in March, then a steep slide to 52 in April and 161 in May.

June was the worst, zero sales, a figure that remains unconfirmed by Mercedes. The automaker has not commented on the production pause or whether the model might be scrapped entirely.

It’s a surprising stumble for a car that, on paper, seems competitive. The CLA L packs an 89 kWh battery, a claimed CLTC range of 538 miles, and supports DC fast charging up to 325 kW, enough to add 230 miles of range in ten minutes. , but in China, brands like BYD are already rolling out 1,500 kW charging networks that can juice a battery from 10% to 97% in nine minutes.

The message is clear: even a well-engineered Mercedes isn’t enough to win over Chinese EV buyers anymore.