- Mercedes-Benz will release an all-new GLC compact SUV for 2027
- It offers up to 483 horsepower and an AI-driven cabin that learns your preferences
- An optional interior treatment makes it the first car certified by The Vegan Society
Mercedes-Benz used the weekend’s Munich auto show to unveil its next-generation all-electric GLC compact SUV. The electric vehicle (EV) version of its best-selling model will appear in dealerships in “the second half of 2026,” likely making it a 2027 model.
Mercedes has been adjusting its EV strategy on the fly. The company recently stopped accepting orders for the EVs it currently has on sales lots (though dealers still have many in stock). It has plenty of future EVs planned, but they will come on new platforms not shared with those cars.
It also announced that future EVs will look just like their gas-powered counterparts, starting with the new CLA electric sedan set to appear later this year. Choosing electric, gas, or hybrid power will be like choosing a trim level or paint color.
The GLC EV follows quickly after that announcement and doesn’t quite fit the bill. It looks a little different than its gas-powered counterpart and will carry the somewhat awkward name GLC-Class with EQ Technology. It shares almost no parts with the internal combustion-powered GLC.
The company did not disclose pricing.
Hope You Like Mercedes Logos
- The 2027 GLC-Class with EQ Technology is slightly larger than its internal-combustion-powered counterpart
- It features a backlit false grille with 942 points of light and Mercedes logos in most of the lights
The electric GLC looks quite similar to the gas-powered model in profile. But, coming and going, you’ll spot the EV version easily. Its wheelbase is slightly longer, but that effect is almost hidden by similar sheet metal.
As an electric model, it doesn’t need the airflow of a grille to feed a cooling radiator. So Mercedes has replaced the iconic brand face with a light element – a false grille consisting of “942 polycarbonate backlit dots.” An optional graphic package uses them for animations.
Mercedes logos hide in the daytime running lights and shine prominently from the taillights. Added to the logo badges you’d expect to find, they give the car a total of 13 brand logos on its exterior.
Hyperscreen, Optional Vegan Furnishings
- The cabin is dominated by the available dashboard-spanning Hyperscreen, previously found only on higher-end Mercedes models
- An interior certified by The Vegan Society — a first in any car — will be optional
Inside, the showpiece feature is the optional Hyperscreen. It replaces virtually the entire dashboard with screen surface. Mercedes has offered it on more expensive models in the past, but the GLC brings it to a lower price point for the first time.
A new version of the technology, the GLC’s Hyperscreen is 39.1 inches wide and more rectangular than the version found in the current S-Class.
Also optional, a “starry SKY CONTROL Panoramic roof” goes from opaque to clear at a touch, or uses ambient lighting to mimic 162 stars in the night sky.
An optional Vegan Package uses faux leather and other interior materials certified by The Vegan Society — a first for a car. “Customers can be confident all surfaces made using the high-quality MB-Tex as well as all textiles used in the vehicle are free of any products of animal origin. The Vegan Society has also certified that across all stages of production and processing, no ingredients or additives of animal origin – either processed or unprocessed – have been added or used in any form,” the company says. So, go ahead — lick the dash.
An “AI-driven MB.OS Supercomputer” powers the interior features. Mercedes says it “integrates and controls every aspect of the vehicle – from infotainment and advanced driver assistance systems to comfort features and charging.”
Beyond an improved version of the “Hey, Mercedes” virtual assistant, it also “learns and evolves with its driver.” Mercedes says to expect “complex, multi-turn conversions — like one has with a friend.”
Up to 483 Horsepower, Range Not Clear Yet
- Mercedes will offer the electric GLC in two trim levels with up to 483 horsepower
- The company claims a range of over 440 miles, but that uses lenient European testing standards
The GLC-Class with EQ Technology will be offered in two trim levels, but the company has provided details on just one so far.
“Customers can look forward to the top-of-the-range model at market launch, the GLC 400 4MATIC, with 483 hp and up to 713 kilometers of range,” Mercedes says. That range figure, equivalent to about 443 miles, is likely calculated using a European testing regime. The formula used by America’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tends to give shorter figures.
The company also says it can add up to 303 km (188 miles) of range in just 10 minutes of charging. But that calculation includes a 400-volt fast charger — a type rare in Europe and almost not present in the U.S.
Buyers will have the option of an “intelligent air suspension” from the top-of-the-line S-Class. The electric GLC also gets, as an option, the rear-wheel steering we’ve enjoyed so much in models like the current E-Class sedan.
Advanced driver assistant tech includes Level 2 hands-on self-driving capability at launch, though the company says it can be upgraded at a later date depending on evolving laws.
The all-electric GLC will battle the upcoming BMW iX3, introduced at the same event.
