Latest news with #ChristophStarzynski
India Today
04-08-2025
- Automotive
- India Today
Mercedes-Benz GLC electric teased ahead of Munich debut
Mercedes-Benz has teased its upcoming all-electric GLC, the first electric variant of the luxury SUV to be based on the brand's next-generation platform. The new model marks a significant shift in the German marque's EV strategy, offering electrified performance wrapped in a familiar, best-selling package. It will make its debut later this year at the 2025 Munich Motor Show. Mercedes-Benz teased the upcoming GLC electric. advertisementTest prototypes of the electric GLC, heavily camouflaged, recently completed rigorous winter testing in Arjeplog, Sweden, near the Arctic Circle. Tackling sub-zero temperatures, icy roads, and frozen lakes, the all-electric GLC reportedly impressed engineers with its blend of efficiency, safety, comfort, and dynamic capability, reaffirming its readiness for extreme real-world conditions.'Our new electric GLC is a car without compromises and we test it just as uncompromisingly,' said Christoph Starzynski, Vice President Overall Vehicle Development & Integration, Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Designed from the ground up as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), the GLC EV will feature single and dual-motor configurations, with outputs ranging from 272bhp to 490bhp. A new two-speed transmission is fitted to the primary rear motor, delivering strong acceleration while maintaining high efficiency at cruising speeds. The SUV also adopts Mercedes' new eATS 2.0 electric drivetrain, previously showcased in the Vision EQXX heart of the GLC EV will be a 94.5kWh NMC battery, supported by an 800V electrical architecture enabling DC fast charging at over 320kW. Reportedly, the car can recover up to 260km of range in just 10 minutes under optimal conditions. Despite the harsh Arctic temperatures during testing, the SUV maintained strong range and quick charging. The GLC EV's 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system uses independent electric motors on each axle, capable of distributing torque precisely for maximum grip. A new Disconnect Unit (DCU) allows the front axle to be decoupled when not needed, improving cold conditions, the SUV's advanced heat pump system plays a crucial role, drawing energy from the electric drive units, battery pack, and ambient air to warm the cabin using up to 70% less energy than conventional heaters. Also, new is a brake-by-wire energy recuperation system, which blends regenerative and friction braking seamlessly. The system not only recovers energy to extend driving range but also ensures consistent brake pedal feel, with a built-in hydraulic fallback layer for safety. Unlike previous standalone EQ models, the GLC EV follows Mercedes-Benz's new EV strategy that emphasises design cohesion with ICE counterparts. This means the EV version will look nearly identical to the standard GLC, aligning with the brand's effort to make electrification more accessible and production-efficient. Production of the electric GLC will take place at Mercedes-Benz plants in Bremen (Germany) and Beijing (China), with potential expansion to the Tuscaloosa (USA) facility. There's no official word on an India launch to Auto Today Magazine- Ends
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mercedes-Benz electrifies its worldwide bestseller
Mercedes-Benz EQC compact SUV has been part of the brand's bestselling GLC model range since 2021. Except for America, that is. So, years after other markets could buy one, it seems as if America will finally get one as well. It should make it to our shores sometime after the new one debuts in September at the IAA Auto Show in Munich, or at least that's the way it appears. Until then, the current lineup includes the 255-horsepower GLC300 mild hybrid or the 313-horsepower GLC350e plug-in hybrid with 54 miles of pure electric driving forthcoming all-electric GLC will be known as the Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology rather than the separate EQ nomenclature used until now. This is a continuation of incorporating EQ models first seen with the G580 with EQ Technology launch last year and integrates the electrified vehicles into the conventional powertrain lineup. The announcement comes as the newest GLC is undergoing winter testing in Sweden and the Arctic Circle, with temperatures as low as -13 degrees. 'During winter testing in Sweden, our new, all-electric GLC demonstrated its reliability and robustness even under extreme conditions. It represents innovation and quality – a fact we have proven in the Scandinavian winter,' said Christoph Starzynski, Mercedes-Benz Group AG's Vice President for Vehicle the Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology may look similar to other GLCs, it actually employs the automaker's platform, a new vehicle architecture dedicated to electric vehicles, that allows them to be built without the compromises that a petrol-vehicle platform might impose. It's fitted with an 800-volt architecture that supports a sustained charging rate of more than 320 kW. Range is expected to be an WLTP-rated 400 miles or so, which should net approximately 320 miles in EPA testing. The Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology comes with rear- and 4Matic all-wheel-drive configurations, with the latter disconnecting the front axle to increase efficiency. Online reports suggest the GLC EV produces about 480 horsepower, which is fairly healthy for the segment, although any official number has yet to be released. Interestingly, its new brake system incorporates the brake booster, master cylinder, and Electronic Stability Program Control into a single compact module that doesn't rely on mechanical linkage, although it does switch to a hydraulic fallback if needed. The system also optimizes the recovery of braking energy to extend the battery's charge. As on other Mercedes-Benz EVs, the climate control uses a heat pump that harnesses waste heat from the electric-drive unit, the battery and ambient air. It preconditions the battery to its optimal temperature prior to fast charging as well as controls cabin the most important aspect of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology may be its appearance. While the Mercedes-Benz has only issued photos of the forthcoming compact SUV painted in swirling camouflage paint, the new vehicle's appearance lacks the obsessively ovoid shape that has plagued other Mercedes-Benz EQ models, the most egregious of which is the EQS that, when painted in white, looks like a suppository with tires. Thankfully, the Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology looks a lot more like its conventional counterparts, one that only happens to be powered by electrons. What the interior might look like remains unknown, however. By fitting its newest EV into an existing lineup rather than separating it out as a unique model, Mercedes-Benz is bowing to the realities of the market in 2025. This makes it appear a more mainstream choice and may make it easier to sell to those initially weary of electric SUVs. While exact details are not known about the new Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology, the fact that Mercedes-Benz is putting its newest technology into its biggest seller worldwide, rather than the S-Class, speaks volumes of its desire to reduce costs of EV technology through mass production. It also renders its EVs somewhat less of an upper one percent plaything and more of a sensible middle-class choice. Love reading Autoblog? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get exclusive articles, insider insights, and the latest updates delivered right to your inbox. Click here to sign up now!
