Following its unveiling at the Munich Motor Show, more details have surfaced about Mercedes' newest electric vehicle: the GLC with EQ Technology.
As InsideEVs reported, this is the automaker's most important EV yet as it tries to win back market share following a tepid response to its previous EQ series.
The brand's third-quarter sales dipped by 4.5% year over year, and with China's EV market surging, it's a make-or-break time for Mercedes.
There's still a ray of light for EV sales, as Cox Automotive reported that a record number of EVs will be sold in the U.S. in Q3 as the end of government tax incentives looms. The number is expected to jump 21.1% year over year and be the best Q2 by 30%.
As names go, the Mercedes GLC with EQ Technology is a mouthful, but it boasts an 800-volt-class architecture, a new software suite, a promise of over-the-air updates, a more efficient powertrain, and, importantly, an artificial intelligence-enabled cockpit, InsideEVs detailed.
A dashboard highlight is the optional 39.1-inch wide hyperscreen, while the exterior front grille is also an illuminated standout.
The new GLC is expected to arrive in 2026, just in time to take advantage of the company's 600-kilowatt, ultrafast chargers, which are expected to hit North America and Europe the same year at a deployment rate that is twice the peak of Tesla Superchargers today.
Mercedes promises over 400 miles of range, with preliminary claims topping out at 443 miles, which will go a long way toward reducing range anxiety for consumers.
It can also be charged from 10% to 80% in under 24 minutes, peaking at 330 kilowatts, InsideEVs added.
While the GLC's overall design is important — including ditching the EQ's blobby shape in favor of an approachable SUV form factor — "the real challenge is building a software platform that can rival the smoothness and ease-of-use you get in a Tesla, Rivian, or Chinese EVs," according to InsideEVs.
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Sign me up 👍 To achieve this, Mercedes has integrated a variety of AI tools in its MBUX infotainment system. This includes technology from Microsoft, Google, and the company's own AI agent that will focus on providing information about the vehicle itself.
Using generative AI, the MBUX virtual assistant enables complex conversations thanks to what Mercedes calls the "multi-agent approach."
"By selecting the best source for each task, even within the same conversation, it unites the collective knowledge of the internet," a Mercedes press release explained.
All of this next-gen automotive technology is being rolled out in hopes of bolstering sales for the automaker, but it could play a role in boosting overall EV adoption and subsequently reducing tailpipe pollution by stealing the spotlight away from gas-powered alternatives.
Switching to an electric vehicle can save on fueling and maintenance costs, plus you can even charge them at home. Homeowners with solar power can feed sunshine-generated electricity right into the battery, bringing fuel costs down to at or near zero.
Unlike the disappearing EV tax credits, home chargers are still available for government incentives through June 30, 2026.
Services like EnergySage can help compare quotes from vetted solar installers to speed the process of getting set up before that deadline, helping consumers save money while boosting their sustainability footprint.
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