The state of the electrons in a charge-density wave (CDW) sliding at arbitrary velocity and with arbitrary electron-phonon coupling constant is discussed. The mean-field framework deals directly with the quantum mechanics of a system having non-energy-eigenstate solutions. The quasiparticle approximation is replaced by a more accurate electron-hole condensate. Corrections to the uniform current, which become important at moderate electron-phonon coupling or at high CDW speed, show that the Fermi sea is swept along with a velocity slightly less than the velocity of the CDW. Corrections to the effective energy gap for photon absorption are also discussed.