Mercedes-Benz GLC EV revealed as arch-rival to new BMW iX3—and there’s no missing the grille!

This year’s IAA Munich Motor Veil has shaped up as an urban battleground within the midsize luxurious SUV build, with a new electric version of the Mercedes-Benz GLC space to closely rival the second-generation BMW iX3 revealed factual two days within the past.

Staunch one variant will be on hand when the electrical GLC is released in Europe within the key half of of 2026. Other variants, that are expected to encompass a RWD powertrain and AMG variations, will strategy later.

Badged GLC400 with EQ Skills, the originate variant has 360kW of energy, a 4.3sec 0-100km/h time, dual-motor AWD, a modular 94kWh usable battery, and up to 713km of range.

800-volt architecture promises 22-minute charging

The twin eternal magnet synchronous motors are acknowledged to be exceptionally calm. A silicon carbide inverter and warmth pump is comparable outdated, as is a two-tempo rear gearbox for better dual carriageway efficiency.

A recent braking system known as One Box replaces previously separate brake booster, master cylinder and ESP regulate items for smoother pedal motion, mixing 300kW of regen with bodily brakes Mercedes-Benz says are pointless in Ninety 9 p.c of braking eventualities.

The electrical architecture shares its 800-volt skill with the currently-revealed, fully electric Mercedes-Benz CLA sedan and wagon, with a peak DC charging tempo of 330kW promising 10-80 p.c replenishment in 22 minutes, while AC charging is 11kW or optionally 22kW.

Varied neat ranges will be on hand including a putrid grade (no longer probably for Australia), an Avantgarde mid-tier, and an AMG Line. Clever air suspension and rear-wheel steering of up to 4.5 degrees will be optioned through an Agility and Comfort Equipment.

Stark beauty disagreement between GLC EV and new BMW iX3

While the 2 battery electric (BEV) crossovers from Mercedes-Benz and BMW will be fierce opponents—in particular in Europe, the build fully-electrified autos comprise a colossal fragment of the market—stylistically, the affords could well perchance scarcely be extra different.

The brand new electric GLC strikes a long way from the extremely-aerodynamic shapes of the outgoing Mercedes EQC/EQE product families, nonetheless the GLC’s softer and extra organic lines disagreement sharply with the onerous-edged iX3’s Neue Klasse assemble language.

Mercedes-Benz calls the GLC’s assemble philosophy “Sensual Purity”, and while the gigantic shoulders and prominent wheel-arches fit in neatly with the ticket’s novel combustion SUVs (including the GLC and GLE), there’s never such a thing as a missing an unfriendly flourish at the entrance of the vehicle.

The GLC turns into the key Mercedes-Benz to undertake the ticket’s new grille which chief vogue designer Gorden Wagener says will redefine the face of a series of Benz items in future. The colossal and closely chromed grille is optionally illuminated with 942 backlit dots subsequent to fundamental person-theme headlights.

While the exaggerated scale of the brand new grille is no longer passe for the ticket, its prominence at the entrance terminate of the electrical GLC does bring, in a ability, the stark and colossal radiator grilles of Eighties Benz items.

Measuring 4845mm in dimension, 1913mm in width and 1644mm in high, the GLC with EQ Skills is marginally bigger than the BMW iX3, and rides on a 84mm longer wheelbase than the petrol GLC affording 47mm of additional legroom within the second row.

Admire the combustion GLC, the BEV version is a five-seater. The electric version has a 570-litre boot with adjustable ground high, while a frunk affords 100 litres of additional build. Towing skill is 2400kg braked.

Unusual interior involves finest cover ever suited to a Mercedes

Occupants interior will be wowed in particular by the finest cover ever suited to a Mercedes-Benz, with the 39.1-meander MBUX Hyperscreen cover stretching uninterrupted between the A-pillars powered by the Team spirit Sport Engine, while streaming apps will be downloaded.

All grades fetch the colossal cover, with the passenger terminate of the quilt performing as a achieve photo on European putrid items even though all elevated items could well perchance comprise a fully purposeful passenger cover in a position to video streaming that could terminate if the motive force looks to be at while the GLC is in motion.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fitted, as are dual wireless chargers, and the quilt leverages Microsoft, Google and OpenAI chatbot functions to enable natural conversations within the vehicle. Burmester 3D and 4D stereos are on hand with Dolby Atmos processing.

Varied paints and interior decisions are on hand, including comfort or sport seating in leather-primarily based mostly mostly (nappa no longer compulsory), synthetic conceal, or the sphere’s first independently-licensed, fully vegan interior. Shadowy, beige and tan is on offer while a colossal neat portion will be had in metal, cloth or wood.

A gargantuan panoramic sunroof is comparable outdated instruments—nonetheless savor within the iX3, it would not genuinely commence. Optionally, the GLC’s roof will be upgraded with Sky Management expertise that allows full of life dimming and is furthermore backlit at night with a rather unsubtle 162 Mercedes stars.

The steering wheel has been changed from this day’s Mercedes-Benz wheel with the spokes redesigned to set up bigger bumper and curler controls in accordance with buyer solutions.

Below the skin, heightened compute energy supplied by the MB.OS “superbrain” can bustle 254 trillion operations per second, with AI finding out habits and informing the decisions of the MB.Force security programs—with readiness for MB Force Legitimate, a fully point-to-point self sustaining level.

Car-to-grid (V2G) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) bi-directional charging skill is achieve in within the brand new GLC from the open while Clever Cloud over-the-air updating is furthermore included.