The all-new Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Know-how has made its debut at this yr’s IAA Mobility present (in any other case referred to as the Munich Motor Present) because the direct rival to the (additionally) all-new BMW iX3.
Constructed on medium model of the Mercedes-Benz Electrical Structure (MB.EA-Medium) with an 800-volt electrical structure, the GLC with EQ Know-how will first be provided in a sole GLC400 4Matic variant when it goes on sale within the first half of 2026.
On paper, the GLC EQ presents vital enhancements over the EQC, the latter being the primary member of the corporate’s EQ household when it was launched approach again in September 2018. The newer electrical automobile (EV) presents as a lot as 713 km of vary on a single cost following the WLTP commonplace because of a lithium-ion battery with a usable vitality content material of 94 kWh.
This may be charged at a most AC fee of 11 kW, with 22 kW being an choice. There’s additionally DC quick charging capped at 330 kW which might get the battery from a 10-80% state of cost in simply 22 minutes – 300 km might be recharged inside 10 minutes. In chosen markets, a DC converter is put in to allow charging at 400-volt stations. The corporate claims an vitality consumption as little as 14.9 kWh per 100 km and provides the bidirectional charging is accessible in markets that help it.
Energy from the battery is used for a pair of completely excited synchronous electrical motors – one on every axle – that present all-wheel drive and a complete system output of 489 PS (483 hp or 360 kW). The rear electrical drive unit will get a two-speed transmission, with the entrance having a single discount gear.
Efficiency-wise, you’re taking a look at an SUV that may get from 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds on its technique to a prime pace of 210 km/h. You additionally get to tow as much as 2.4 tonnes. In almost each metric, the GLC EQ beats the EQC, and this extends to the size as properly.
Different parts of the powertrain embody the non-obligatory, S-Class-derived Airmatic air suspension that may alter the dampers based mostly on car-to-X info, whereas non-obligatory rear-axle steering permits the rear wheels to show as much as 4.5 levels at speeds beneath 60 km/h. This reduces to 2.5 levels above 60 km/h. A four-link axle is used on the entrance and the rear will get a multi-link rear axle suspended on a centre pivot.
For recuperation, there’s a brand new One-Field braking system that mixes beforehand separate elements of the brake booster, grasp cylinder and ESP management in a single compact module. Mercedes-Benz says nearly all braking is carried out by way of regenerative braking as much as 300 kW, with 4 ranges accessible to driver – ‘D-‘ is essentially the most aggressive and supply a one-pedal feeling.
Naturally, quite a lot of drive modes can be found, together with a Terrain Mode that activates a “clear bonnet” perform to identify obstacles on the path
In response to Mercedes-Benz, the GLC EQ measures 4,845 mm lengthy (+84 mm), 1,913 mm broad (+29 mm), 1,644 mm tall (+20 mm) and its wheelbase spans 2,972 mm (+99 mm). Inside the bigger physique is a frunk with a capability of 128 litres and a boot that provides 570 litres, expandable to 1,740 litres.
The GLC EQ sports activities the “redefined face of the Mercedes-Benz model,” with the spotlight being the entrance grille with a thick chrome encompass, smoked-glass-look mesh construction and built-in contour lighting. An illuminated choice is accessible as an choice, which provides an illuminated central star in addition to 942 backlit dots that present a pixel-like look and might be animated.
Full-LED headlamps come as commonplace – Digital Mild is accessible as an choice – and have a three-pointed star and slim higher gentle bar as their daytime operating gentle signature. The 2-piece taillights additionally get stars of their clusters, however they’re set on a black panel which have gentle bars pointing in direction of a central brand.
Mercedes-Benz has already mentioned its future EVs will look extra like its inside combustion engine (ICE) fashions, and that is true with the outside design that principally mimics the usual GLC. The bumpers and upswept beltline are paying homage to the non-EV mannequin, though the pop-out door handles, extra aerodynamic roofline, along with the grille and lighting items, assist set the EV aside.
What isn’t remotely much like the GLC is the inside, because the GLC EQ will get the fourth technology of the corporate’s MBUX. The star right here is the 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen which is an non-obligatory further and the biggest show unit from the corporate up to now, spanning almost your complete width of the dashboard and terminating on the nook air vents.
This combines three separate shows beneath a big glass floor, together with a ten.3-inch instrument cluster and two 14-inch touchscreens (central infotainment and entrance passenger). The high-resolution MBUX Hyperscreen options over 1,000 particular person LEDs to permit for native array dimming, which is a expertise Mercedes-Benz has filed a patent for.
On fashions geared up with the lesser MBUX Superscreen, the entrance passenger show is changed with a “digital ornamental ingredient” that may present a private photograph or certainly one of 12 predefined pictures – it’s primarily a digital photograph body.
Excessive-performance chips and real-time graphics from the Unity Recreation Engine management the screens and energy MB.OS, with the improved MBUX Zero Layer exhibiting essential info and context-sensitive ideas and essentially the most just lately used apps. There’s additionally built-in synthetic intelligence (AI) from each Microsoft and Google, together with ChatGPT4o and a wiser MBUX Digital Assistant.
You additionally get two new avatars as options to the default star avatar, together with a “human-like avatar that emerges from a condensing cloud of stars” and LittleBenz, which is claimed to “permit for a fair stronger connection on a private stage” with its expressive face.
Luxurious touches for the GLC EQ embody the non-obligatory Sky Management panoramic roof that may swap between clear and opaque, with the floor divided into 9 switchable zones. There’s additionally ambient lighting that creates a shocking wow impact (the corporate’s phrases), together with for the 162 stars built-in into the glass floor.
There’s additionally an non-obligatory Burmester 4D encompass sound system with Dolby Atmos help, together with a complete host of sound experiences that tie into the inside lighting. Most of the inside methods, together with the multi-function seats, are linked to Energizing Consolation, Mercedes-Benz’s wellness perform that has programmes meant to chill out occupants after an extended drive.
The bigger physique gives more room for passengers, with Mercedes-Benz declaring 13 mm extra legroom and 46 mm extra headroom on the entrance, whereas it’s 47 mm and 17 mm extra respectively for the rear passengers. One other factor touted by the corporate is the return of rocker and curler controls on the steering wheel for the limiter and Distronic methods, though capacitive contact panels are nonetheless a factor.
As for security and driver help methods, the GLC EQ’s {hardware} suite contains 10 cameras, 5 radar sensors, 12 ultrasonics sensors and a water-cooled laptop to allow quite a lot of capabilities. Distance Help Distronic and a brand new methods come as commonplace, with upgrades coming within the type of bundles such MB.Drive Help, MB.Drive Help Plus, MB.Drive Help Professional, MB.Drive Parking Help and MB.Drive Parking Help 360.
The MB.Drive Help packages progressively enhance the extent of autonomy from SAE Stage 2 proper on to point-to-point self-driving, though the latter will solely be launched in markets that let it. In the meantime, the MB.Drive Parking Help bundles enhance the comfort of parking, together with the flexibility to go away a parking area routinely even after the automobile is parking manually.
Manufacturing of the GLC EQ will happen on the firm’s Bremen in Germany, with the corporate noting that automobiles of this class may even be produced at Kecskemet, Hungary, in addition to at Beijing Benz Automotive in China.
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