2026 Mercedes GLC Electric Redefines Luxury SUVs With 435 Mile Range and Futuristic Tech

2026 Mercedes GLC Electric Redefines Luxury SUVs With 435 Mile Range and Futuristic Tech

Mercedes Benz GLC 2026 Munich motor show front Best-seller goes electric with next-gen grille and dashboard-sized infotainment touchscreen

The new electric Mercedes-Benz GLC will go on sale early next year to start what CEO Ola Källenius has called “the biggest product offensive” in the company’s history.

Named the GLC with EQ Technology, the SUV is effectively a successor to the EQC. While that car was given its own name and styling, the new EV shares its title and general design language with the existing combustion-engined GLC, although the two models use different platforms.

The GLC is Mercedes’ best-selling car and sits in the premium SUV segment that Källenius sees as “the most important” to the firm.

The electric version uses the new MB.EA bespoke EV platform, which is designed for medium to large cars and has an 800V electrical architecture that allows for fast charging.

It also runs the latest version of the firm’s MB.OS infotainment software.

While the GLC EQ is all-new, it’s designed to closely resemble the existing GLC, explained Källenius: “If you were told this was the next-gen combustion GLC, you would say ‘yes, it’s the next logical step: it looks like a GLC’.”

The front is dominated by Mercedes’ new electric-only ‘Iconic Grille’, which is a larger and more upright design than on previous EVs.

The GLC EQ is broadly the same length as the ICE GLC, but its 2972mm wheelbase is 80mm longer – and nearly 100mm longer than the old EQC’s.

Mercedes GLC front quarter

Källenius said the decision to stretch the wheelbase was taken “because we can”, adding: “You do it because you get extra space inside for free.

Compared with the ICE GLC, it has more leg room in the front and rear and increased head room, plus it offers a 570-litre boot and large 128-litre frunk.

While the GLC EQ will be offered with five different power outputs, it will arrive first in range-topping 400 form, with 483bhp. This features a dual-motor powertrain, including a new permanent magnet synchronous motor on the rear axle and a new front motor that can disconnect when not required.

It also uses a two-speed gearbox, featuring gears with 11:1 and 5:1 ratios to maximise both acceleration and efficiency.

Källenius said that the rear bias of the powertrain is “desirable for any car that is somewhat focused on performance, and you get that for free with an EV”.

Power is drawn from a sizeable 94kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery, which gives the GLC 400 EQ a claimed range of more than 435 miles.

Because of the 800V system, the battery can be charged at speeds of up to 330kW. As with the new CLA EQ, a DC converter will be offered “on a country-specific basis” to allow use of 400V public chargers – the most common type.

Mercedes GLC rear quarter

The suspension is a multi-link set-up both front and rear. Optional air suspension can lower the car on faster roads to reduce drag and consequently boost range, while optional rear-wheel steering reduces the car’s turning circle of 11.2m.

Another development is a new ‘one-box’ brake system that integrates energy regeneration and friction braking into a single system.

Four levels of regen are available, with the most aggressive able to recuperate around 300kW.

A suite of driver assistance systems will also be offered, including a ‘transparent bonnet’ function for off-roading.

Intended to fuse “analogue luxury” with “digital elegance”, the GLC EQ’s interior features a large centre console that merges into the instrument panel and revamped air vent and speaker grille designs.

Mercedes GLC dashboard

It can be optioned with the largest seamless digital screen yet offered in a Mercedes model. It measures 39.1in, prompting Källenius to quip that “we’ve run out of words to name the screen” – although Mercedes has settled on Hyperscreen.

An optional Vegan Package is claimed to be the fi rst in which all the soft-touch materials are certified by the Vegan Society.

The GLC EQ and other future EVs based on the MB.EA platform will be built at Mercedes’ plant in Bremen, Germany, with additional production in Hungary and China.

It’s due to go on sale in early 2026. Pricing details have yet to be revealed, but the combustion-engined GLC starts at £54,450 and the old EQC latterly cost about £65,000.

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Next Generation Mercedes GLA Unveiled as Sleek Electric and Hybrid Rival to Golf and ID 3

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Mercedes benz new GLA EV testing front Entry-level crossover will replace today's second-generation ICE GLA and first-generation electric EQA

Mercedes-Benz will launch the third-generation GLA crossover late next year, chairman Ola Källenius has confirmed.

The smallest member of the brand’s MMA-based compact car family will be sold in both electric and hybrid forms, replacing the first-generation EQA EV and the second-generation ICE GLA.

The entry-level EV is seen as a key model for the German firm to compete with some of the best selling compact electric cars on the market, such as the Volkswagen ID 3 and MG4. The petrol model will take on the Volkswagen Golf.

Speaking at the launch of the new Mercedes GLC EQ ahead of the Munich motor showKällenius said the GLA "will be coming by the end of next year". "We will continue to offer it as an entry point into Mercedes's brand," he added.

Pictures of the new GLA testing reveal that it will have a sportier, more coupé-like silhouette than today’s model, with a distinctive front end featuring Mercedes' new 'Iconic Grille' which was debutted by the GLC.

Autocar understands the car is expected to grow in size to just over 4500mm in length, allowing for a more spacious interior. For comparison, the current GLA is 4410mm and EQA is 4463mm.

Although pictures have yet to be taken of the new GLA’s cabin, i'is expected to mirror the designs of the recently revealed CLA saloon and incoming GLB crossover.

They feature a free-standing full width display, AI-supported infotainment functions and more upmarket materials than today’s model – all of which aims to outclass rivals in the segment.

The electric version will also receive a frunk, something not present on today’s EQA.

Underneath, the electric GLA will use the same 800V electrical architecture as the new CLA.

That car is offered with either a 58.5kWh LFP or 85kWh NMC battery and a top-end range of 484 miles.

Drive comes from either a single-motor or dual-motor powertrain, which deliver 268bhp and 349bhp respectively.

As with its MMA siblings, the GLA is planned to receive at least two AMG performance models featuring axial flux motors from British firm Yasa in 2027. 

ICE versions of the GLA will also draw directly from the new CLA, using a hybridised 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with 134bhp, 161bhp or 188bhp, mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. 

Production will take place alongside the CLA saloon at Mercedes' recently refitted Rastatt plant in Germany.

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Electric Mercedes C Class Unveiled With 497 Mile Range to Challenge BMW i3

Electric Mercedes C Class Unveiled With 497 Mile Range to Challenge BMW i3

Electric Mercedes Benz C Class preview BMW i3 rival will share platform and powertrains with new electric Mercedes G-Class

Mercedes-Benz has shown the first image of the incoming electric C-Class ahead of its launch next year, and said it will have a maximum range of 500 miles.

The image was shown on Sunday at the launch of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC EQ, one of the star cars of this year’s Munich motor show, with which it will share its platform and powertrains.

The electric C-Class will be the main rival for BMW's new electric 3 Series, the i3, which is due on the market at around the same time with comparable specifications.

While limited in what it shows, the teaser image does reveal the new C-Class EV will sport the ‘Iconic Grille’ as debuted on the larger GLC, but with its own bespoke design – four slats instead of the SUV’s three.

Within the face, the slats, surround and three-pointed star are all illuminated by hundreds of LEDs. The image also shows the C-Class EV will adopt the same three-pointed daytime running lights as the GLC.

Mercedes-Benz did not reveal any other information about the car, but the preview shows the new electric C-Class will match the proportions of the current car – just as the new GLC EQ is styled to match its combustion-powered sibling.

The C-Class is twinned with the GLC and so will sit on Mercedes’ new MB.EA electric-only platform.

While the GLC offers a top-end range of 435 miles, Mercedes says the C-Class will arrive with 497 miles (800km) - no doubt partly a product of its lower, sleeker silhouette.

This will make it not just the longest-range Mercedes on sale, but one of the longest-range electric cars in the UK - almost matching the new BMW iX3's 500 miles.

Power will likely be drawn from the same 94kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery as the SUV. The 800V system means the GLC ’s pack can be charged at speeds of up to 330kW; expect the same from the C-Class.

The C-Class is also expected to be offered with a range of power outputs. For reference, the GLC can be had in five different configurations up to 483bhp.

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Cupra Raval Unveiled as Affordable Electric Hot Hatch with 223bhp and Bold Barcelona Design

Cupra Raval Unveiled as Affordable Electric Hot Hatch with 223bhp and Bold Barcelona Design

Cupra Raval camo official front quarter static New electric supermini, set to be the Spanish brand's smallest and most affordable model, will arrive next year

The Cupra Raval supermini, shown for the first time at the Munich motor showwill arrive next year with a range-topping 223bhp VZ performance version.

The new car will be the Barcelona brand's smallest model when it goes on sale net year, and shared the same MEB entry architecture as the forthcoming Volkswagen ID PoloVolkswagen ID Cross and Skoda Epiq. All four models will be produced at Cupra plants in Spain.

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The production Raval was shown in Munich sporting a camouflage wrap based around a street pattern of the Barcelona district its gets its name from, but it's evident that several key cues from the previous UrbanRebel concept car remain intact.

These include its large triangular headlights and sharp-edged rear end with a wraparound light bar, although the front grille has been simplified.

The electric hatchback will become Cupra’s smallest and most affordable model when it arrives next year, with prices expected to start around £25,000.

Full technical specifications have yet to be confirmed, but the machine will be 4046mm long with a wheelbase of 2600mm. Cupra has also confirmed that to meet the brand's performance brief the Raval's suspension will be 15mm lower than other VW Group models using the MEB Entry platform, while it will also feature bespoke suspension tuning and steering.

The top-spec Raval VZ will be tuned to offer 223bhp from its front-mounted electric motor, matching the forthcoming ID Polo GTI. The Raval VZ will also feature sport suspenion, an ESC off mode, an electronic slip differential and 19in wheels with wider 235mm tyres.

Cupra previously suggested that UrbanRebel concept would dispatch the 0-62mph sprint in 6.9sec, positioning it just behind the 217bhp Alpine A290 in performance terms.

Cupra added that the concept would have a range of 273 miles (in long-range guise), which would put it on a par with the ID Polo.

The Raval borrows its name from the El Raval district of Barcelona, and it will be built in the nearby city of Martorell.

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Skoda Epiq Unveiled as Affordable Electric SUV with Big Space and 264 Mile Range for Everyday Drivers

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250709 Skoda Auto Epiq showcar (1) Kamiq pricing for Skoda's Fabia-sized electric SUV, which packs a big boot and a 264-mile range

Skoda's new baby electric SUV, the Epiq, is edging closer to a 2026 launch with the unveiling of a near-production show car at the Munich motor show.

Giving a "concrete glimpse" of Skoda's answer to the Renault 4, the Epiq concept was revealed alongside the Volkswagen T-Cross and Cupra Raval with which it will share a platform, powertrain and production line.

Skoda revealed the first Epiq concept last year, but this heavily evolved second iteration is expected to arrive in showrooms mostly unchanged.

At 4.1m long, the Epiq will be the smallest of Skoda's electric SUVs – sitting underneath the 4.4m Elroq – and effectively the electric equivalent to the Fabia. But it is said to still seat five "comfortably", have a 475-litre boot and offer a range of 264 miles.

Based on the same MEB Entry architecture as the other small VW Group EVs – also including the new ID Polo – the Epiq will have a 208bhp motor on the front axle as standard. A hot vRS version, twinned with the ID Polo GTI, is possible and could ramp that up to 223bhp.

It is described as the first car designed completely according to Skoda's minimalist new Modern Solid design principles - first deployed on the updated Elroq and Enyaq – both inside and out. 

To that end, it wears Skoda's new 'Tech Deck' face, T-shaped light signatures, chunky bumpers and a distinctive new shade of 'Cashmere' paint, which contrasts with the grey lower bodywork. The cabin is visually separated from the rest of the car by an accentuated shoulder that Skoda refers to as a 'tornado line'. 

The interior, in keeping with Skoda tradition, majors on practicality and everyday usability, with 'simply clever' features like bag hooks, fasteners and hidden cubbies dotted throughout. The touchscreen will be the main control interface, but physical buttons and haptic scrollers feature as part of an emphasis on intuitive utility. 

Skoda says the Epiq will be priced to match its petrol-powered counterpart, the Kamiq, which starts at £25k. The firm says "this further underlines Skoda's commitment to meeting the growing demand for sustainable and accessible mobility solutions".

Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Skoda, said: “It embodies the essence of Skoda: modern solid design, a spacious interior within a compact footprint, user-friendly, intuitive digital interfaces, and simply clever details that ensure a seamless experience – and above all – at an attractive price point. 

"With the Epiq, we’re taking another step towards making electric cars a practical and compelling choice for everyday drivers."

The final production version will be revealed in mid-2026, at around the time Skoda is set to add a large seven-seat electric SUV based on 2023's Vision 7S concept – serving as an EV equivalent to the Kodiaq.

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