- Mercedes has shown the first photos of a (camouflaged) GLC EV prototype.
- The model will become the second new Mercedes EV that has an ICE variant on the same platform, after the upcoming CLA.
- The Mercedes GLC EV will be fully revealed later this year.
Mercedes-Benz took a bold approach when it decided to have parallel lineups of electric and combustion engine vehicles. For the former, it even created a completely new design language, and it took advantage of the freedom of not having to put batteries and electric motors inside a repurposed combustion car, which is what most rivals were doing at the time.
Now, Mercedes is changing course. It’s abandoning its separate EV lineup in favor of electric versions of its ICE models. This approach mirrors what manufacturers like BMW, Genesis and others are doing. The first model to debut as part of this new strategy is the new CLA, which will be available with either combustion or pure electric power.
Next will come an all-electric version of the GLC crossover, which will serve as an indirect replacement for the EQC. That car was originally slated for the U.S. market, but never made it here. Unlike the CLA, which is underpinned by the MMA platform designed for Mercedes’ entry-level vehicles, the new, larger GLC will be the first model built on the MB.EA platform.
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The current combustion-powered GLC, codenamed X254, debuted in 2022, and the launch of the electric variant will likely coincide with the unveiling of the mid-cycle refresh. Even though Mercedes will not be using the three-letter EQX naming strategy anymore, it is keeping “EQ” in the name of its electric models, and it could be called the GLC with EQ Technology, like the electric G-Class.
The MB.EA platform includes a two-speed transmission as part of the rear drive unit (like in a Porsche Taycan) and supports battery packs of different sizes with different chemistries—Mercedes is also investigating having multiple chemistries in the same pack. In the CLA EV, the base battery pack will feature lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, while the larger long-range pack will have nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells. This approach could be mirrored for the GLC EV but with higher capacities adapted to this vehicle class.
The large battery pack is expected to have a capacity of 94.5 kilowatt-hours, which will give the 483-horsepower dual-motor GLC EV a WLTP range of 404 miles. A single-motor, rear-wheel-drive variant will also be available, but not at launch.
Just like MMA, MB.EA runs at around 800 volts, which not only allows for improved powertrain efficiency but also unlocks extra charging power over 400-volt-class EVs. We therefore expect it to charge from 10 to 80% in half an hour or less, with a maximum charging rate of 320 kilowatts. Mercedes says it can add 162 miles of range in just 10 minutes.
The GLC EV will also feature a 3.5 cubic-foot front trunk to complement the 19.8 cubic-foot trunk. That’s a big improvement over the EQ cars, which did not have frunks at all. Mercedes wouldn’t even let you open the hood to top off the windshield wiper fluid on some models, requiring a separate access door in the fender.
We still don’t know how it will look, though. Mercedes hid the GLC EV’s exterior behind camouflage in the photos it provided, which makes us wonder how extensive the changes are over the ICE model. The camo is likely hiding the refreshed face of the GLC facelift, which would explain the wrap, but the electric variant will should also feature visual changes. The prototype has flush-fitting, pop-out door handles, for instance, and because it’s an EV, the grille is completely closed off.
Mercedes also covered up the GLC’s interior in the photos. We do know that it’s getting a version of Mercedes’ new AI-powered MB.OS operating system, which will debut in the CLA.
When we tried its predecessor, the EQC, in Europe a few years ago, it was a really impressive machine. We mostly had good things to say about it, but our main points against it were mostly derived from the limitations of repurposing an internal combustion engine platform for an EV. It didn’t have a frunk, its trunk was quite narrow and small for a vehicle its size and it had a transmission tunnel that ate up rear foot room.
Using an ICE vehicle as the base for an EV also compromised the practicality of the EQA and EQB, which had the added annoyance of an unusually high floor. That pushed rear occupants’ knees uncomfortably high, making riding in the back less relaxing than it should, especially for taller passengers.
Mercedes’ bespoke EVs built on its EVA architecture eliminated these issues and made the interior much roomier and more pleasant, regardless of where you sat. It will be interesting to see if going back to a shared architecture between its ICE and electric models will bring back these packaging issues and compromises.
The GLC EV is expected to be revealed sometime in 2025, and it should go on sale late this year or in early 2026. It will be built in Germany and China, but tariffs may push Mercedes to begin manufacturing it at one of its U.S. production facilities. The next Mercedes EV after it should be another MB.EA-based vehicle, an E-Class-sized sedan that will replace the EQE.
