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Mercedes-Benz electrifies its worldwide bestseller
Our shores will finally get the all-electric EQ variant of the GLC compact SUV.
Mercedes-Benz EQC compact SUV has been part of the brand’s bestselling GLC model range since 2021. Except for America, that is. So, years after other markets could buy one, it seems as if America will finally get one as well. It should make it to our shores sometime after the new one debuts in September at the IAA Auto Show in Munich, or at least that’s the way it appears.
Until then, the current lineup includes the 255-horsepower GLC300 mild hybrid or the 313-horsepower GLC350e plug-in hybrid with 54 miles of pure electric driving range.
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Testing the next Mercedes-Benz bestseller
The forthcoming all-electric GLC will be known as the Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology rather than the separate EQ nomenclature used until now. This is a continuation of incorporating EQ models first seen with the G580 with EQ Technology launch last year and integrates the electrified vehicles into the conventional powertrain lineup. Mercedes-Benz
The announcement comes as the newest GLC is undergoing winter testing in Sweden and the Arctic Circle, with temperatures as low as -13 degrees.
“During winter testing in Sweden, our new, all-electric GLC demonstrated its reliability and robustness even under extreme conditions. It represents innovation and quality – a fact we have proven in the Scandinavian winter,” said Christoph Starzynski, Mercedes-Benz Group AG’s Vice President for Vehicle Development.
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What the GLC with EQ Technology packs
Although the Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology may look similar to other GLCs, it actually employs the automaker’s MB.EA platform, a new vehicle architecture dedicated to electric vehicles, that allows them to be built without the compromises that a petrol-vehicle platform might impose. It’s fitted with an 800-volt architecture that supports a sustained charging rate of more than 320 kW. Range is expected to be an WLTP-rated 400 miles or so, which should net approximately 320 miles in EPA testing.
The Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology comes with rear- and 4Matic all-wheel-drive configurations, with the latter disconnecting the front axle to increase efficiency. Mercedes-Benz
Online reports suggest the GLC EV produces about 480 horsepower, which is fairly healthy for the segment, although any official number has yet to be released.
Interestingly, its new brake system incorporates the brake booster, master cylinder, and Electronic Stability Program Control into a single compact module that doesn't rely on mechanical linkage, although it does switch to a hydraulic fallback if needed. The system also optimizes the recovery of braking energy to extend the battery's charge.
As on other Mercedes-Benz EVs, the climate control uses a heat pump that harnesses waste heat from the electric-drive unit, the battery and ambient air. It preconditions the battery to its optimal temperature prior to fast charging as well as controls cabin temperature.
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A new appearance
Perhaps the most important aspect of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology may be its appearance. While the Mercedes-Benz has only issued photos of the forthcoming compact SUV painted in swirling camouflage paint, the new vehicle’s appearance lacks the obsessively ovoid shape that has plagued other Mercedes-Benz EQ models, the most egregious of which is the EQS that, when painted in white, looks like a suppository with tires. Mercedes-Benz
Thankfully, the Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology looks a lot more like its conventional counterparts, one that only happens to be powered by electrons.
What the interior might look like remains unknown, however.
Final thoughts
By fitting its newest EV into an existing lineup rather than separating it out as a unique model, Mercedes-Benz is bowing to the realities of the market in 2025. This makes it appear a more mainstream choice and may make it easier to sell to those initially weary of electric SUVs. Mercedes-Benz
While exact details are not known about the new Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology, the fact that Mercedes-Benz is putting its newest technology into its biggest seller worldwide, rather than the S-Class, speaks volumes of its desire to reduce costs of EV technology through mass production. It also renders its EVs somewhat less of an upper one percent plaything and more of a sensible middle-class choice.
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