The luxury electric SUV designed to look like a petrol model

Mercedes is on the product offensive and the best-selling GLC SUV is leading the charge – quite literally. The luxury German car giant has revealed its new electric GLC at the Munich Mobility Show – and it’s a departure from the previous EQ Mercedes as it shares it name and design with the existing combustion-engined GLC. A competitor for the new BMW iX3 [ also revealed at Munich ], the GLC EV will also go head-to-head with the Audi Q6 and Porsche Macan EV.

While most new EVs feature radical design, Mercedes has taken a different direction and made its latest battery-powered SUV closely resemble a combustion model, calling it ‘unmistakably a GLC’ with EQ technology that ‘marks a turning point’ in the midsize segment. As such the all-electric GLC will be the first model in a completely new vehicle family and is built on Mercedes new MB.MA EV platform.

It’s due to go on sale in early 2026 with pricing yet to be revealed. But with the petrol GLC starting from £56,495 (and the cheapest diesel £54,495), customers can expect it to be a mark-up from that. The GLC EV has the same classic proportions of a Mercedes midsize SUV, sculpted shoulders and pronounced wheel arches, and a redesigned chromed grill that’s illuminated – a grill Mercedes says will ‘redefine the face of the brand’.

Roughly the same length as the ICE GLC, it has a 84mm longer wheelbase which means there’s more space inside than what a petrol version delivers. In fact, occupants get 13mm extra legroom and 46mm more headroom up front, while passengers in the back will gain 47mm more space for their legs and 17mm to the ceiling. The boot has 570 litres of capacity and there’s an impressive 128-litre ‘froot’ (front boot), making the new GLC EV a seriously practical car for everyday driving.

Underpinning GLC is a 800-volt architecture which can manage 443 miles on a single charge thanks to a 94kWh (usable) battery. This can also deliver charging speeds of 330kW, which should give drivers 186 miles of range from a mere 10 minute charge, in theory. That’s only when devices matching its speeds launch in the UK. It also comes with bi-directional charging and an impressive 5,291-pound towing capacity.

Perhaps most excitingly for tech enthusiasts is that the all-electric GLC has Mercedes new AI-driven ‘MB.OS superbrain’. This means it can interact ‘naturally’ with occupants and learn driver preferences. The superbrain is joined by the seamless all-new MBUX hyperscreen – which at 39.1 inches is the largest display in any Mercedes-Benz to date. New high-end seats and steering wheel improve interior comfort and the optional Vegan Package is certified by The Vegan Society, making Mercedes the first manufacturer worldwide to offer an independently certified animal-cruelty-free interior.

Completing the luxury interior experience is the starry Sky Control panoramic roof which uses switchable glass and ambient lighting to illuminate 162 ‘stars’ in the night sky. Driving features include a new ‘one-box’ brake system that combines regenerative software and friction braking, ADAS like ‘transparent bonnet’ function which allows you to see objects under the front wheels, and adaptive suspension that uses Google maps to adjust the suspension over potholes and semi-autonomous MB. Parking Assist. The GLC will be built in Bremen, Germany and could cost anything from mid £50,000s to high £60,000s.