Shortly before the IAA kicked off today, Mercedes unveiled the long-awaited GLC with EQ technology, calling it a “turning point in the midsize segment”. Two days before, arch-rival BMW did the same with a similar-sized, totally new electric newcomer, the iX3.
The electric GLC is the first model on the new MB.EA-M platform and promises “efficiency and driving pleasure without compromise”. The battle is surely open between Stuttgart and Munich.
EQ range
Some seven years ago, Mercedes got serious about electric mobility. After several electric A- and B-Class models, the Stuttgart-based company unveiled the EQC 400 in early September 2018 – an electric SUV and the first model under the new EQ sub-brand.
Based on the combustion-powered GLC, the EQC featured an electric drive system, a closed black grille, and a rounded design, setting the tone for upcoming EVs until recently. The EQC was not a real best-seller but led the way to a whole new EQ sub-brand at Mercedes, with dedicated e-platforms and a different, more rounded design.
Mercedes had high hopes for its new BEV babies, but the EQS and later the EQE didn’t sell as well as hoped for and got some criticism from the rather conservative clientele. In fact, it was the smaller EQA and EQB that were the best electric sellers at Mercedes, but the brand never reached the EV targets it had hoped for and had to withdraw its plan to become ‘fully electric’ as of 2030.
That’s why Mercedes-Benz has now started on an entirely new basis for its electric fleet. First, there was the completely new CLA; now there is the entirely new GLC.
Same design, different platforms
The new GLC shares no technical basis with the combustion SUV. This reflects Mercedes’ new strategy: instead of separating EQ models with distinct names and design language, the electric and ICE cars are moving closer together.
They share the same name (with the somewhat unhandy suffix ‘with EQ technology’ for EVs), appear similar, but utilize different platforms to leverage the respective advantages of each drivetrain.
In the first half of 2025, the combustion engine GLC was Mercedes’ best-selling model. From this perspective, it makes sense to derive an electric version from the same concept and design rather than differentiate it.
“Extensive customer feedback from all over the world shaped the development of the electric GLC from the outset,” says Mercedes. “Reliable, elegant, and unmistakably a GLC, it takes everything that Mercedes-Benz customers value to a new level.”
The new electric GLC, therefore, marks certainly a new step for Mercedes EVs, but it remains instantly recognisable as a Mercedes, without a major design shift. The Stuttgart-based company refers to a “refined design language,” but essentially means the combustion engine design.
With the teaser-revealed grille, the electric GLC adopts a very dominant front, even though such a large cooling surface is not technically needed. From the front, the electric GLC clearly sets itself apart. From the side and rear, it looks like a typical new Mercedes: the rounded forms recall the EQE SUV, while the round tail lights pick up on design cues from the new CLA.
One variant at launch
Like its rival in Munich, Mercedes starts with the launch of one (upmarket) variant of the electric newcomer, the GLC 400 4Matic with EQ technology. It sits on the new MB.EA-M platform for the midsize segment.
Unlike the MMA platform of the new CLA, which also allows hybrids, MB.EA-M is a dedicated EV platform, with a separate combustion GLC offered in parallel. Still, the new Mercedes platforms are designed to share technology modules. For example, the rear-axle drive unit introduced in the CLA, named EDU2.0, also features in the GLC.
The launch model features dual-motor all-wheel drive with 360 kW of system output, using permanently excited synchronous motors (PSM) at both axles. The unit is paired with Mercedes’ own two-speed transmission at the rear and a decoupler at the front to enable the PSM to be switched on or off as required.
With this drive system, the GLC can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 4.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 210 kph. As with the CLA, the two-speed transmission on the rear axle is designed to ensure that the GLC is both dynamic to drive and as efficient as possible on the road. Mercedes quotes (provisional) WLTP consumption of 14.9-18.8 kWh/100km, depending on the equipment.
800 Volts, 94 kWh capacity, 713 km range
The underbody houses a battery with a system voltage of 800 volts, based on prismatic cells. With a net energy content of 94 kWh, a range of up to 713 kilometers is possible according to WLTP (provisional).
Peak charging power at a DC fast charger reaches 330 kW, allowing a 10 to 80% charge in 22 minutes. AC charging comes with 11 kW as standard, with a 22 kW onboard charger available as an option. The electric GLC is also “prepared for bidirectional charging”, which means that it is technically ready, but concrete services will follow later. Mercedes relies on a DC-based solution rather than AC.
While driving, the battery can recuperate up to 300 kW under braking. According to Mercedes, this means that in daily use, up to 99% of deceleration is electric.
To provide a “consistent, confident brake pedal feel” when blending recuperation and mechanical braking, Mercedes has developed a new “One Box” brake system. It calculates maximum recuperation and minimises brake disc use on every stop. Drivers can select three levels of recuperation strength or hand control over to the intelligent automatic mode.
Every GLC comes with a multi-source heat pump as standard. It uses waste heat from the drivetrain and battery, as well as ambient air, to heat the interior as efficiently as possible. This system also controls the battery preconditioning, which is designed to enable high charging capacities in many situations.
Comfort, roominess, and towing power
The chassis of this electric GLC is designed to offer both comfort and dynamics, depending on the situation. For this, the GLC uses the air suspension technology that Mercedes otherwise installs in the S-Class.
“The continuously adjustable damping system offers the perfect balance between long-distance comfort and sporty agility,” Mercedes says. With optional rear-axle steering of up to 4.5 degrees in both directions, the electric SUV should feel agile in corners, stable on motorways, and noticeably easier to manoeuver when parking.
The electric platform brings not only technical advantages but also interior benefits. The EV offers more space than the combustion GLC, thanks not only to its 84-millimetre longer wheelbase, but also to its greater overall length. At 4.85 metres, the electric GLC is 13 centimetres longer.
Both rows of passengers benefit from increased head- and legroom. Boot space rises to 570 litres, or up to 1,740 litres with seats folded. A front boot or frunk adds another 128 liters. The GLC 400 4MATIC can also tow up to 2.4 tons, sufficient for larger caravans, boats, or horse trailers. With a drawbar load of 100 kilograms, the tow bar also accommodates multiple e-bikes on a rack.
Hyperscreen
Inside, the new MBUX Hyperscreen dominates the cabin. Unlike in the EQE and EQS, it is no longer slightly tilted and bulky, but runs across the full width of the car at a consistent height. The 39.1-inch panel is now one continuous display, while previously it was one piece of glass covering three separate screens.
Apart from its size, it stands out with high resolution and the fourth generation of MBUX software. Also relevant today: beneath the Hyperscreen in the centre console, there are not only cup holders but also two inductive charging trays for smartphones.
Special background motifs on the display, embedded in eleven ‘styles’ with matching colours for the instruments and ambient lighting, aim to create a “holistic driving and spatial experience”.
“At night, the optional ambient lighting delivers a breathtaking wow effect. One hundred sixty-two stars are integrated into the glass surface and can be illuminated, a truly magical experience,” boasts Mercedes. Quite a different approach from BMW’s restrained Panoramic iVision.
A quick comparison
It’s evident that the two electric SUVs from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, now launched at a two-day interval, will face each other head-on in the market. So, it’s already time for a first, quick comparison.
Most existing data show surprising similarities. At 4.78 m, the iX3 is seven centimeters shorter and also has a shorter wheelbase at 2.90 m against 2.97 m; the height and width differ only minimally. BMW specifies 345 kW of system power for the iX3, Mercedes 360 kW for the GLC. Mercedes has not yet announced the maximum torque, while BMW specifies 645 Nm.
Both models rely on 800-volt technology, but use different battery concepts: BMW integrates round cells directly in the battery pack. In contrast, Mercedes relies on prismatic cells, which are initially grouped into modules.
The result: although the BMW has less space between the axles, it offers more energy with a net 108.7 kWh than the Mercedes with a net 94 kWh. That translates into a WLTP range advantage: up to 805 kilometres versus 713.
With a peak of 400 kW instead of 330 kW, BMW also offers higher charging power. However, for the usual standard charging process from 10 to 80%, the difference is only one minute, but the BMW recharges more energy here due to its larger battery.
For pure practicality, the Mercedes takes the edge: it offers 50 liters more boot space and a much larger frunk (128 against 58 liters). It also has a higher towing capacity (2,400 compared to 2,000 kg). The iX3 also has an 80-kilogram drawbar load; the GLC manages 100 kilograms.
One of the main elements of choice is pricing, of course. The price Mercedes will charge for the GLC 400 4Matic with EQ technology is not yet known, but it is expected to be high. BMW has already announced pricing: an iX3 50 xDrive will cost €69,900 in Belgium (€1,000 more than in Germany), almost the same price as its current PHEV top hybrid with 220 kW system power (offered at €69,350 in Belgium).
When we apply this reasoning to the Mercedes pricing, the new GLC EV would cost at least €80,000 to €90,000, while the current GLC 300e 4Matic (230 kW system power) costs €79,860, and the GLC 400e 4Matic (280 kW system power) goes for €88,935. Wait and see.
The new Mercedes is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2026, with no further details provided. BMW could beat Mercedes to market: the first deliveries of the iX3 50 xDrive are planned for March 2026.
