Although MercedesBenz has taken a cautious approach when it comes to development of future electric vehicles (EV). Yet, the German marque is not stalling with its ambitious EV plans as many exciting new products will hit the market in the next few years. The next big EV from Mercedes will be the fullyelectric iteration of GLC.
The luxury carmaker has teased the electric SUV on its social media handles ahead of its global debut on September 7. The GLC EV will be previewed at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, Germany. The teaser image only shares a glimpse of the vehicle’s front grille.
With the new GLC EV, Mercedes is transitioning into a new design philosophy called Sensual Purity. Although most of its design is under, the heavily revamped front grille suggests a significant design overhaul as compared to the current combustionpowered GLC. The teaser image shows an upright illuminated grille with pixelated LED treatment. That said, the grille illumination will most likely be an optional offering.
The new front grille houses a thick chrome surround featuring a matrix of 942 backlit LED pixels with which it can display animated graphics. Further, the new illuminated MercedesBenz tristar logo takes centre stage. This design seems to be inspired by the radiator design of the 1902 Mercedes Simplex that was later carried over to classic Mercedes models like 600 Pullman and W 108.
Lower variants of the GLC EV will miss out on the pixelated treatment of the front grille. Instead, it will be encased within a wide chrome frame with a smokedglasseffect on the headlamps along with contour lighting. The extent of illumination will depend on marketspecific regulations. For instance, in Europe, only the star can be illuminated, not the surrounding ring. Buyers can choose between two exterior colour schemes: Silver Shadow or Dark Chrome Optic.
Inside the cabin, the GLC EV will come equipped with a new version of the brand’s MBUX Hyperscreen. The wide curved display will integrate the instrument cluster, infotainment, and climate control settings similar to the Hyperscreen setup currently available in EQS and EQE. However, the GLC EV will get an updated iteration of this system, so expect more features, smoother operation, and better responsiveness.
MercedesBenz has by far the largest EV lineup in the luxury car segment in India. Almost every EV launched internationally has found its way to the Indian market eventually. This even included the allelectric GWagon also known as the EQG, which bombed at the global markets. So, there’s a very good chance that the GLC EV makes it India, most likely sometime next year.
