Electric Mercedes GLB hits the road for the first time
Mercedes’ boxy baby SUV will be revamped with electric and petrol power
Mercedes’ range of all-electric vehicles is undergoing a rejuvenation and the replacement for the EQB will arrive soon. The electrified GLB is expected to take on a new name – ‘GLB with EQ Technology’ – and it should be revealed around the same time as the internal-combustion version, possibly in early 2026.
The electric GLB’s new nomenclature is in keeping with the new CLA with EQ Technology and G 580 with EQ Technology, as Mercedes reshapes its EQ-branded line up. Not only will the EQB replacement get a new name, but it’ll sit on a fresh platform too - sharing the new MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture) platform with the recently revealed CLA.
Like the current GLB and EQB, the new ICE GLB and the electric variant will share the same overall design. One tweak that’ll be carried over will be the EV’s blanked-off grille - hinted at here with no holes in the camouflage, in contrast to what we saw in our previous spy shots of the GLB. Elsewhere, this prototype of the GLB with EQ Technology wears some sportier 20-inch wheels, but otherwise it’s the same look as the GLB.
Despite the camouflage, it’s obvious Mercedes won’t substantially change the car’s boxy, ‘baby G-Wagen’ design. The front end is slightly more rounded than the current GLB’s, and the car will incorporate a new three-pointed star headlight signature – something we saw on the Concept CLA Class in 2023.
The rear will have a more dramatically different feel, with a thin lightbar running in an upside-down U shape under the back window. The typical oversized rear badge and other off-road design elements such as roof rails, black wheelarch surrounds and faux skid plates will also feature.
Inside, the new GLB will get a brand-new MB OS infotainment system, with bigger displays and a greater level of AI integration than ever before. This will sit within a slightly more rugged interior with seating for up to seven.
The new MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture) platform has been designed from the outset for EVs, with the option of fitting small, hybridised ICE powertrains alongside. The GLB with EQ Technology will come with two battery sizes – 58kWh and 88kWh – and be fitted with both a rear-mounted single-motor layout with around 282bhp or a more potent dual-motor set-up.
More importantly, though, the new GLB will also adopt a cutting-edge 800V electrical system, which will make the entire powertrain more efficient and allow for charging speeds of up to 320kW – far higher than even the much more expensive EQE and EQS models and even the G 580 with EQ Technology that currently tops Mercedes’ BEV line up.
The rear-mounted e-motor will also feature a two-speed transmission, which will give it punchy acceleration at low speeds, as well as a more relaxed demeanour during high-speed driving.
Sitting alongside the BEV options will be a range of ICE variants with a 48V mild-hybrid system. A larger range of powertrains will likely be available in future, including high-spec AMG models.
While Mercedes hasn’t confirmed which order its remaining MMA-platform models will arrive in, we do expect all three – the GLA, GLB and CLA Shooting Brake – to be unveiled by the end of 2026.
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