With production of the EQC ending last year, Mercedes is now ready to ditch its premium compact electric crossover game. As a result, the second generation is around the corner, and since the company wants to ditch the EQ moniker, it might be known as the GLC (EV?).
The all-new EQC/GLC is shaping up to be an interesting rival to the Tesla Model Y. The vehicle has slightly moved away from its egg-shaped design and looks more mainstream than the original EQC.
Several prototypes have been spotted these past few months, all featuring the usual trippy camouflage on the outside. They looked similar in size to their predecessor, albeit with different front and rear fascias, which is a welcome upgrade.
Our spies couldn't snap any interior images, but the model is expected to have a more modern cockpit. The next EQC/GLC might be one of the company's first rides to feature its MB.OS infotainment system or that's what the rumor mill claims anyway.
Photo: Kolesa
Unlike the old EQC, which used the same platform as the regular GLC and, in turn, shared with other models from the brand’s recent past, the all-new one will reportedly transition to the EV-only MB.EA construction, which is said to accommodate medium to large-size passenger cars and crossovers. Thus, it should perform better than its predecessor in most (if not all) scenarios.
Besides the regular Benz models, Mercedes is also preparing at least one AMG, so there is a lot to look forward to when it comes to the all-new GLC EV, including four-wheel steering and other features that its future customers will appreciate.
Word on the street is that the three-pointed star brand won't introduce the new GLC until 2025 or maybe 2026, and by then, we should know a lot more about it, including some juicy details about its powertrain family. We might also catch a more naked glimpse of various testers, which will also eventually open up their cockpits for the camera.
Meanwhile, the rendering crowd has started virtually peeling off the model's fake skin. The peeps at Kolesa have created a couple of digital illustrations of the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC EV, and the vehicle imagined here is not going to win any beauty contests.
It has a flat nose with a closed-off-grille that holds the brand's logo, a light bar between the main clusters, a full-width light bar stretching across the tailgate from one taillamp to the other, a weird-shaped rear bumper that tries to copy the looks of the front one, and several other features that you can explore in the image gallery above. We hope the next GLC doesn't look like this, but would you consider buying it over a Model Y if it does?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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