The 2027 Mercedes GLC EV Proves the Future Doesn’t Have to Look Futuristic

The first thing you’ll notice about the upcoming all-electric version of the Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV is that it looks an awful lot like the present-day gas-powered GLC. Aside from its fancy new illuminated grille, Mercedes has gone to great lengths to make the two SUVs look alike, even though the electric GLC is bigger and rides on a longer wheelbase. Apparently, the era of future-pod Mercedes EVs like the EQE and EQS is over; now the goal is to make its electric vehicles look similar to its traditional mainstream models.

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Historical Fiction Outside, Sci-Fi Inside

At least, it looks similar on the outside. Inside, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology (yes, that’s the electric GLC’s proper name; gotta love German verbosity) diverges almost completely from the gasser. The headline feature is the optional, new-generation MBUX Hyperscreen, a massive 39.1-inch single-piece touchscreen that stretches seamlessly across almost the entire width of the dash. Mid-trim GLCs will make do with the “Superscreen” setup, which is like the previous-gen Hyperscreen in that it divides the dash into three displays (10.3-inch driver, 14.0-inch center, and 14.0-inch passenger). Base model electric GLCs will get a non-touchscreen version of the passenger display, basically a roadgoing digital picture frame that can display owner-uploaded photos.

Above them, occupants can behold the sky through a panoramic glass roof, or they can choose not to behold it courtesy of liquid crystals that render it semi-opaque on command. There are three versions of the roof, the nicest of which employs nine LCD panels and is adorned with 162 three-pointed Mercedes stars that illuminate to match the GLC’s ambient lighting. All versions are designed to let in light while blocking heat and cold.

Other electronic nifties on offer include a 4D Burmeister sound system that vibrates the seats so you can feel as well as hear your music, ambient lights that can pulse with the music or flash warnings from the driver assistance systems, and the new, AI-enhanced Mercedes MB.OS operating system that debuted on the new CLA-Class compact sedan. Among other things, MB.OS is capable of facial recognition for profile login, can take remote payments via Mercedes Pay+, allows for video streaming and Teams videoconferencing, and, of course, will enable over-the-air updates to the vehicle.

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A Cabin Without Carnage

Mercedes is also touting the availability of an industry first: an interior certified by The Vegan Society. Not that this is much of a technological leap; cloth (as found on the base GLC) and synthetic leather (as found on most models) are vegan materials, but the so-called Vegan package guarantees that no materials used in the interior, including adhesives, dyes, and carpets, are derived from animals. We checked out the Vegan package, and it looked and felt no different to us than any other synthetic leather and suede upholstery. Those who feel the planet is overpopulated with animals, particularly those made of beef, will be able to get genuine leather in higher trims and with the AMG Line package.

So there’s lots of razzle-dazzle, but isn’t the point of the electric GLC to snuggle up close to the gas-powered GLC? It does exactly that in function. The EV GLC is about 5.0 inches longer than the gas car, with a 3.3-inch wheelbase stretch. This provides room for the battery, and as a bonus it yields a bit more legroom in both the front (0.5 inch) and rear (1.9 inch) rows. The electric GLC is identical in width to the ICE version and stands just 0.1 inch taller, but then again, headroom has never been an issue for the gas GLC.

Cargo space is about the same in both models from what we can glean so far, though we’re still waiting for official U.S.-spec measurements. The trunk features an adjustable cargo floor, allowing for a flat loading surface or a lower mounting for taller cargo, and a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat. The electric GLC also has a frunk, usefully sized at 4.5 cubic feet and opened by pressing the Mercedes logo on the hood.

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Wattage and Workings

The electric GLC will make its debut here in GLC400 4Matic form, with two motors totaling 483 hp and 596 lb-ft of torque, sufficient to motivate the 400 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds according to the automaker. (Mercedes engineers told us they never considered a three- or four-motor setup, as they can get adequate power from two motors.) The GLC’s front motor disconnects from the drive axle when it’s not needed, increasing efficiency, while the rear motor uses an integrated two-speed transmission to prioritize acceleration and efficiency. The GLC 400 will also offer a four-wheel steering system that increases high-speed stability while tightening the turning circle to a tidy 36.7 feet.

Mercedes will follow the GLC400 with a single-motor GLC300 that will deliver 369 hp and 372 lb-ft of torque to the rear axle alone, with an estimated 5.9-second 0–60 run. Although it does without the four-wheel steering and the GLC400’s optional, S-Class-derived air suspension, the 300 will share the 400’s towing capacity of 5,300 or so pounds.

Both models draw their power from a nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack with 94 kWh of usable capacity. The 800-volt architecture allows charging up to 330 kW, which Mercedes says is enough to add as much as 185 miles in 10 minutes and charge from 10 to 80 percent in 24 minutes. Mercedes offered a range estimate for the GLC400 of 700 kilometers (435 miles) on the WLTP cycle; however, EPA numbers tend to be significantly lower. Our best guess is that the dual-motor GLC will deliver a range somewhere slightly north of 300 miles to a full charge. Could the GLC300 hit 350 miles? We’d love to see that. The GLC will also be capable of bi-directional charging, allowing it to power devices (or your home) from its battery.

One of our complaints about existing Mercedes EVs is that their regenerative braking systems do not offer one-pedal driving, in that they will not bring the vehicle to a full stop without the driver using the brake pedal. That changes with the GLC’s new “One Box” braking system, which (like most EVs) blends electric and hydraulic braking and will give the GLC a true one-pedal mode with full-stop braking. Although it will cut in the friction brakes, Mercedes estimates that 99 percent of braking events will be accomplished by regenerative braking alone. The GLC will offer three levels of regen, plus a “D Auto” mode that will use map data to help determine when to let it coast and when to harvest energy.

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Space, Grace, and Buzzy Bass

We got a chance to take a brief ride around Stuttgart in the passenger seat of a GLC400 4Matic equipped with the optional air suspension. As was the case with our earlier prototype drive, our overarching impression was one of space and refinement, with some wind noise but almost no road noise—always impressive in an EV, where there’s no engine thrum to mask stray sounds. Our driver noted the GLC comes equipped with multiple drive modes, including a Terrain mode with a camera that shows what’s immediately in front of the vehicle (“transparent bonnet” is what they called it). She also demonstrated the four fake sound modes (Silver Waves, Vivid Flux, Serene Breeze, and Fractal Fusion, in case you were dying to know their names). We’re pretty cynical about synthetic noisemakers, but combined with the vibrating seats, the various “soundscapes” put a buzz in our butt and a smile on our face.

The GLC with EQ Technology is slated to arrive here sometime in 2026 as a 2027 model. What will the price tag look like? The gas 2026 GLC starts just under $51,000, with the plug-in hybrid GLC350e 4Matic right around $61,500. Figuring a $10,000–$20,000 premium for the electric models and some settling of the tariff issues, we imagine the GLC400 with EQ Technology will start right around $75,000, with single-motor models perhaps dipping down to the low $60,000s. The gas GLC is Mercedes-Benz’s bestseller in the U.S., and with its new design that no longer screams, “Look at me, I’m in an EV!” we think the battery-powered GLC has a good shot at success.