Electric Mercedes GLC ramps up for September debut
Bold new styling language and a tech-heavy new platform characterise the upcoming EV alternative to Merc's best-seller. And that would be the new electric version of the GLC (with EQ technology).
The newcomer will headline the Mercedes-Benz area at the Munich motor show in September. It was spotted earlier this year testing in the Arctic. Meantime, it has been spied on public roads, with less in the way of body camouflage (below).
The iX3/Macan/Q6 e-tron rival marks the company's next step in electrification. It is the first passenger Mercedes model to introduce a bold new design language.
Historic models have inspired a taller, more upright grille. The designer says it is all about giving future models 'a strong identity'.
There will also be an illuminated grille frame, as previewed with the Vision V show car at the Shanghai motor show in April.
The electric GLC will also be the first model based on Mercedes's new MB-EA platform. It is a dedicated electric car structure that will also underpin the upcoming electric C-Class. Featuring an 800-volt electric architecture, it will have a maximum charging speed beyond the 320kW of the new, MMA-based CLA saloon. So you can add 260km of range in 10min.
The successor to the Mercedes EQC SUV will use a 95kWh battery, giving it up to 700km of WLTP range in rear-wheel drive form. Helping is a new more compact and efficient heat pump. Space saved allows for a 100L front storage area under the hood, adding to the 560L of luggage space at the aft end. That's more space than the ICE power GLC gets.
Single motor rear- and dual-motor four-wheel drive powertrains will be on offer. The AWD model will have up to 360kW. An AMG performance monster due in 2027 will come with axial-flux motors and up to 447kW, evidently.
The GLC is frequently at the top of the Mercedes' best-seller list and has been since it debuted in 2015. It is hoped that the GLC EV can promote the maker's electric sales in a similar manner.
The new strategy also cuts costs as Mercedes builds its EV offerings.
The GLC EV is the first car from Mercedes to launch alongside a sibling that's already selling with petrol, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
It's also the first model to use Mercedes' eATS 2.0 drivetrain. A single-motor, rear-wheel drive model with 200kW is currently under development.
And finally, on the efficiency front, Mercedes has developed a new brake energy recuperation system, called One Box. The brake pedal is decoupled from the physical braking system. Computers calculate how much regen and how much physical disc braking should be used for the different braking levels.
The head of vehicle engineering for the GLC EV, Dominik Voogdt, describes this new development as a 'game-changer' for overall energy efficiency.
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