Official: world premiere Mercedes GLC EV with up to 713 km range

Mercedes had to start from scratch for its electric vehicles, leading to the creation of the MB.EA Medium platform. The new Mercedes GLC with EQ technology marks a new era for the brand. We viewed it at the Munich Motor Show—here are our impressions.

In October 2020, Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius outlined the company’s plans for electrification with a dedicated electric platform, EVA, for luxury models and a multipower platform, MMA, for compact cars. Mercedes initially lacked a true competitor in the segment where Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 were excelling; the Mercedes EQC, launched on the GLC platform in 2019, was outdated from the start.

Mercedes made clear there was no room for compromise and invested its top resources—both material and human—into the new MB.EA platform. The lavish event organized on the evening before the Munich Motor Show opened, held in Residenz Platz in the city center, showed us that the Mercedes GLC EV is a crucial model—perhaps the most important in the last 20 years. It is the first model built on the new MB.EA 800V platform, which will also underpin the future C-Class EV (2026) and E-Class EV (2027). The Mercedes GLC EV will compete with the new BMW iX3, as well as the Audi Q6 e-tron, Porsche Macan, and Tesla Model Y.

Although it looks massive, the new closed radiator grille—which no longer needs to cool anything—is in fact more compact than it appears in the first photos, framed by the new standard LED headlights (with Digital Light technology available as an option). The radiator grille has a wide chrome frame, a mesh-like structure with a smoked-glass look, and 942 polycarbonate points backlit from behind (optional). Also optional, the grille contour and the Mercedes logo can be illuminated, with the logo lighting up fully or partially depending on the regulations of each country.

The headlights, which extend down toward the grille, integrate LED daytime running lights with the Mercedes logo in the center and a narrow light strip at the top. At the rear, the round taillights also frame daytime running lights with the Mercedes logo. From the Avantgarde Line upwards, the window frames, roof rails, and exterior air intakes are finished in chrome.

As mentioned, Mercedes started from scratch. The MB.EA platform comes with a completely new suspension: a four-link multilink suspension at the front and a five-link multilink at the rear. Both the rear and front motors are mounted on a subframe elastically connected to the body to eliminate any vibrations and improve comfort. The standard suspension is steel-spring based, while air suspension and all-wheel steering are offered as options, borrowed from the S-Class.

Up to 60 km/h, the rear wheels turn opposite to the front ones at an angle of 4.5 degrees, while above 60 km/h they turn in the same direction as the front wheels at an angle of 2.5 degrees. The GLC EV has borrowed the air suspension from the S-Class because the two models have a comparable weight.

In addition to the usual driving modes—Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Individual—the GLC EV also has a Terrain mode, just like the combustion-engine GLC. This automatically engages the 4Matic all-wheel drive and also offers a “transparent hood” function: a camera that can “see” under and ahead of the car, combined with the 360-degree camera system.

At 4,845 mm long, 1,913 mm wide, and 1,644 mm high, the GLC EV is 129 mm longer, 23 mm wider, and only 4 mm taller than the combustion-engine GLC, while the 2,972 mm wheelbase is 84 mm longer. Mercedes states that rear passengers have 47 mm more knee room compared to the GLC, and at the first test sitting during the Munich Auto Show, the electric version felt more airy. However, the 40/20/40% split rear bench still has the same rather short cushion as the combustion version, though it is comfortable and the backrest is well contoured.

The good news is that the trunk floor is adjustable and can be raised by 8 cm. Beneath the adjustable floor lies a deep compartment that can also store charging cables if the frunk is filled with luggage. In fact, you can fit two travel bags in the huge frunk, which offers 128 liters (100 liters according to ISO 3832). It opens in an original way by pressing the Mercedes logo on the hood. We tested it, but Ola Källenius couldn’t open it when he wanted to show this trick to German chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Munich Auto Show—an employee had activated the hood lock mode.

An optional laminated, heat-insulated panoramic glass roof is available, with adjustable opacity from transparent to opaque, divided into nine sections. A total of 162 stars are integrated into the glass surface and can be illuminated in any of the 64 ambient light colors.

The standard trunk volume of 570 liters is only 30 liters less than the mild-hybrid combustion GLC, but with the seats folded, the volume is actually larger: 1,740 liters versus 1,640 liters. The launch version, the GLC 400 4Matic, can also tow up to 2.4 tons and features a trailer steering angle control system active at speeds up to 7 km/h and gradients up to 15%.

The Mercedes GLC EV range debuts with the GLC 400 4Matic, equipped with two motors delivering a combined 489 PS and a top speed of 210 km/h. The rear motor is a permanent-magnet synchronous unit (PSM), paired with a two-speed transmission (ratios 11:1 for first gear and 5:1 for second), while the front motor is asynchronous and only engages when extra power is needed.

Unlike BMW, Mercedes has retained prismatic cells grouped into modules; the Li-Ion battery has a net capacity of 94 kWh and an energy density of 680 W/l. Thanks to a remarkable drag coefficient of just 0.26, Mercedes promises excellent efficiency, with WLTP consumption between 14.9 and 18.8 kWh/100 km.

Fast-charging capacity of up to 330 kW allows for 303 km of range added in just 10 minutes, and a 10–80% charge in only 22 minutes. The GLC EV also supports AC charging up to 22 kW and bidirectional charging.

A novelty is the “one-box” braking system, developed by ZF, which combines the brake booster, master cylinder, and ESP unit into a single compact module. Regenerative braking operates in four levels, with a maximum of 300 kW. This new system eliminates the main drawback encountered in the EQE and EQS—the non-linear brake pedal feel when switching from regenerative to mechanical braking.

The dashboard stands out with its massive 99.3 cm screen, stretching across its entire width. It offers exceptional clarity thanks to high resolution and matrix backlighting with 1,000 individual LEDs. It integrates three displays: 10.3 inches for the instrument cluster, 14 inches for the infotainment system, and 14 inches for the front passenger (available from Advanced Plus trim upwards).

The round, galvanized side air vents are integrated into the display and individually lit, while the central rectangular vents are similarly illuminated and placed below the display. The center console flows seamlessly into the transmission tunnel, with two optional wireless charging zones at its base and a row of physical buttons. The screen also blends smoothly into the door panels, following their curved contours.

The brain of the new multimedia system is MB.OS, developed in-house by Mercedes, which uses technology and AI from Google, ChatGPT, and Microsoft, while navigation is powered by Google Maps. More than 40 information and entertainment apps are available, including Disney+ and Spotify. A digital key is also included, which can be stored on a smartphone or smartwatch and shared with, for example, family members. Like other Mercedes models, the multimedia system uses an improved Zero Layer function that shows the most important information and recently used apps.

Optionally, customers can choose the Burmester 4D Surround audio system, with Dolby Atmos available via Apple CarPlay. Ambient lighting can be synchronized with the audio system, with faster music triggering sharper lighting changes. The system also offers different sound experiences, such as Silver Waves, Vivid Flux, Serene Breeze, and Roaring Pulse (AMG Line).

Additionally, the new Mercedes GLC EV provides various ambient modes, ranging from calm to intense, cool to warm, and technical to emotional. The colors of the digital instrument cluster and ambient lighting synchronize with these modes.

The front seats now come standard with fully electric adjustment and heating, with memory function optional. Comfort and sport seats are more distinctly differentiated, with the sport versions offering more pronounced lateral support.

The steering wheel largely follows the design of other Mercedes models, with two double spokes on the sides, but the upper spoke controls are new. Instead of the often-criticized touch surfaces on other models, there are now two rotary knobs—much more practical—for adaptive cruise control and audio volume.

The Mercedes GLC EV will initially be produced at the Bremen plant, powered 100% by green energy, and will be available in the first half of 2026. Later, production will also take place in Kecskemét, Hungary, and Beijing, China. The engines are built in Sebeș, Romania, at the fully Mercedes-owned Star Assembly subsidiary; the axles come from the Hamburg plant, and the batteries from Accumotive in Kamenz.