Mercedes’ best seller is going electric
It’s not every day that you’d see a prominent automotive CEO show off one of their marque’s latest models outside the context of a keynote reveal announcement or in front of the world’s press on the floor of an auto show.
However, in a new video, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius gave a sneak preview of the upcoming electric Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ technology ahead of its Munich motor show debut, taking a camouflaged prototype through five challenges that showed off some key attributes of the upcoming electric crossover.
Alongside host Sarah Hartman, Källenius took the new electric version of Mercedes-Benz’s best-selling car for a spin around the company’s proving grounds at the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center (MTC) in Sindelfingen, Germany, where he showed off some of the car’s key attributes.
The first and second challenges tested the new EV’s acceleration and agility. To the delight [or rather fear] of his co-driver Sarah, the first challenge had the Benz CEO demonstrate the capabilities of the new EQ GLE’s electric powertrain in a 0-100 km/h test. Mercedes did not exactly say how long the vehicle takes to get to the speed, but he described it as feeling “like you’re driving an AMG GT.”
However, during the second test, Källenius threw the EQ GLE through a slalom, which tested the abilities of its optional air suspension. In a statement, Mercedes says that the electric GLE will have an available Agility & Comfort Package that includes S-Class-inspired AIRMATIC air suspension and rear-axle steering for added agility and a tighter turning radius.
Mercedes-Benz
In other tests, the Mercedes CEO demonstrated the practical capabilities of the electric GLC that would be somewhat useful to its customers. Mercedes says that the new generation electric model has “significantly more legroom and headroom for both front and rear passengers. ” In the third test, Källenius demonstrated how much stuff could fit in the 20.1 cu ft of cargo space in the back and the additional 4.5 cu ft of cargo space in the front trunk, which he used to lay down some grocery shopping.
Källenius also demonstrated the charging speed of the electric GLC, which is capable of DC fast charging at 320 kW. According to him, it is capable of a range of up to 260 km (~161 miles) on the WLTP cycle after a 10-minute charge, with a maximum range of 650 km (~403 miles). The CEO also demonstrated the electric GLC’s towing capabilities by towing a vintage 300 SEL from the Mercedes Museum —a heavy car he described as “a fortress on wheels.” The automaker says that the GLC can tow up to 5,291 lbs and a tongue weight of 220 pounds, which is enough for an electric bicycle or other gear on an appropriate carrier.
Mercedes-Benz
Final thoughts
Although many details of the electric GLC were kept in the dark in the video, Källenius gave a bit of a clue about what the new car could look like. Before the towing challenge, he pointed to the “iconic grille” of the 300 SEL to note that the EV GLC will deviate heavily from its other “jelly bean” shaped EVs like the EQS, adding that the car is a “future, techy interpretation of that iconic Mercedes-Benz style.”
“Look at that grille, unmistakably Mercedes-Benz; and I think there’s a clue there,” he said. “We will pick up some of the cues from that iconic grille in the modern version of this GLC, stay tuned.” Mercedes says that it will unveil the electric GLC at the IAA motor show in Munich on September 7. We will be watching.