New electric Mercedes GLC to arrive in 2026 and fill the old EQC's void

New spy images of the all-electric Mercedes GLC have surfaced, revealing more details about the critical new SUV that is set to arrive in 2026. 

In contrast to shots of prototypes we’ve previously seen, these new images reveal a car that’s much closer to production, with a series of fairly substantial changes to the car’s front-end design.

This includes new headlights, which look smaller and lower-set. These are more in keeping with the existing combustion-powered models and give us the impression that the GLC will be less distinctively ‘EV’ in its design. 

Beyond the front end, the body of the car looks fundamentally the same as on those early prototypes. This means the electric GLC has a more traditional two-box design with a longer bonnet than the larger EQE and EQS SUVs.

Despite being called a GLC, this new electric variant will not replace the existing combustion-powered model, but rather sit alongside it in the range. It’ll instead replace Merc’s first mass-produced EV, the EQC, which was initially launched in 2019. 

The electric GLC EV will actually share very little with its combustion-engined sibling and instead use a bespoke EV chassis. This is mooted to be based on Mercedes’ new MB.EA architecture, which will also go on to underpin a new all-electric C-Class. 

The flexible MB.EA platform would give the new GLC a more efficient base to work from compared with the first-generation model, and allow it to use more advanced battery packs and electric motors. It’s also expected to feature an 800V electrical architecture, just like the Porsche Macan Electric, which would help with both charging and performance.

The result should be a substantial improvement on the current EQC’s 255-mile range. The EQC comes with dual motors and all-wheel drive as standard, but single-motor variants may serve as the entry point to the new electric GLC range, as is the case with the Mercedes EQE SUV, and the recently facelifted EQA and EQB.

Much of the line-up will still feature dual motors, especially the hot AMG version we’ve previously spied. The Mercedes-AMG GLCs also featured a bulging bonnet, aggressive front bumper and large ventilated brake discs that sit behind even bigger rims.

AMG is sure to have made some tweaks to the chassis and lowered the ride height as well. The heavy camouflage conceals any additional styling changes, but the front end will probably feature some vertical struts to evoke the ‘Panamericana’ grille on AMG’S combustion-engined cars.

The new GLC will also introduce a new generation of Mercedes digital interfaces and interior design, and will be optimised to seat five passengers.

We expect the new electric GLC will be revealed ahead of the new electric C-Class some time in late 2025 or early 2026, with production due to commence later that year. When it does arrive, it’ll rival other new premium electric SUVs such as the Audi Q6 e-tron and BMW’s forthcoming ‘Neue Klasse’ SUV. 

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