- Mercedes introduced cheaper GLC EVs with smaller batteries, but range still reaches 404 miles WLTP.
- The GLC 300 4MATIC looks like the sweet spot, with AWD, 421 hp and 382 miles of range.
- Mercedes and BMW are making the smaller-battery versions of luxury EVs look sensible rather than compromised.
Mercedes-Benz is expanding the GLC EV lineup with two new lower-powered variants. They both feature a smaller battery, but the range hit is less than you might think, and both still offer plenty of performance and features.
Until now, Mercedes had only revealed the GLC 400 4Matic, which features a 94-kilowatt-hour battery pack, 489 horsepower from its two motors, and an acceleration time from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) of 4.3 seconds. The WLTP range rating for this variant is up to 444 miles (715 km), which should translate into an EPA rating of around 380 miles.
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Source: Andrei Nedelea
Both new variants, the GLC 250 and GLC 300, feature the same smaller 85 kWh battery, giving them WLTP range ratings of up to 404 miles (650 km) and 382 miles (616 km). Europe’s WLTP estimates are quite a bit more forgiving than the EPA’s ratings, but those should still translate to U.S. ranges well north of 300 miles. The base 250 has a single motor making 354 hp and 373 lb-ft of torque that drives the rear wheels, and it can sprint to 62 mph in 5.9 seconds.
The GLC 300 4MATIC adds a front motor for all-wheel drive, raising output to 421 hp and 590 lb-ft, and is good for 0 to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds. All variants have the same 130 mph (210 km/h) top speed.
The 800-volt architecture remains unchanged, but the two new variants have a slightly lower peak charging power, down from 330 kW to 320 kW. However, their 10-80% DC fast charging time is the same at 22 minutes. That makes sense due to the slightly lower-capacity battery pack.
The comparison with the BMW iX3 is unavoidable since it’s the GLC’s direct rival. BMW did something similar with the iX3 40, giving it a smaller 82.6-kWh battery and rear-wheel drive while still claiming 395 miles (635 km) of WLTP range. That’s far off the larger-battery iX3’s 500-mile (805 km) rating, but it’s still a healthy number, and the GLC 250 EV surpasses it.
Now, the main reason you would want a lesser version of a model like the GLC is cost. With a starting price of €64,736, the GLC 250 is over €6,500 cheaper than the 400. The GLC 300 is probably the sweet spot of the lineup right now, with strong performance and range numbers and a starting price of €68,306, or almost €3,000 less than the 400.
BMW slashed €7,500 from the 50 model’s price tag when it created the iX3 40, which starts at €63,400. This also makes it €1,336 cheaper than the equivalent Mercedes, the GLC 250.
There’s nothing about the GLC 250 and 300 models that screams “poverty spec.” The 250 still has plenty of performance, beats the base iX3 in range, and lets you add most of the available options to make it feel plush. The 300 model is only a few tenths off the 400 model’s sprint time and only loses around 60 miles of WLTP range, so it will make a lot of sense for those not interested in outright range numbers but who still want a punchy, all-wheel drive electric SUV.
