For years, many legacy carmakers believed the best way to sell electric vehicles was to make them stand apart from their combustion-powered counterparts. Even today, several brands still cling to that idea. But those days are drawing to a close at Mercedes-Benz, where the next generation of electric and ICE models will share a near-identical look.

The German company explains that early EV buyers wanted their cars to look distinct, which led to designs like the EQS, EQC, and EQE appearing radically different from their combustion equivalents such as the GLC and E-Class.

Lessons From the Jellybean Era

Design chief Gorden Wagener defended the “jellybean” or “egg-shaped” aesthetic earlier this year as “purposeful and very progressive,” though he later conceded that the car “was launched ten years too early” and that the marketing approach hadn’t helped.

Now that early adopters have already made the switch to electric, Mercedes thinks it can turn its attention to mainstream buyers who prefer their EVs to blend in rather than stand out.

Read: Star-Stricken Mercedes GLC EV Has A Grille Big Enough To Swallow A BMW iX3

“Early adopters wanted to be different,” chief technology officer Markus Schäfer told WhichCar? in Australia. “They wanted to show that they were driving an electric car, and now we’re entering the mainstream and mass adoption, and customers don’t want to show that they’re driving an EV. They want the same shape, no matter the drivetrain.”

Same Looks, Different Platforms

This new approach is most evident in the all-electric GLC. Unveiled in full last month, it serves as a replacement to the slow-selling EQC and looks very similar to the ICE variant. Similarly, the new CLA looks the same, regardless of whether it has a battery pack and an electric motor or a combustion engine.

Although its future EVs will continue this trend and share familiar styling with combustion models, Mercedes-Benz continues to insist on using dedicated EV and ICE platforms, rather than developing a single platform that can be used by all of its models, regardless of powertrain.

“In future, the top hat will be the same. The MB.UX intelligence will be the same, but the platform is different,” Schäfer said. Why are we doing this? Eventually you’re compromising when you try to squeeze different drivetrain types into one platform”.

He went on to explain that accommodating everything from six- and eight-cylinder engines to hybrids can eat into battery space, reducing range.

“Fitting both drivetrains to the same platform ultimately ends up with compromise, and we don’t want to offer compromised cars,” he added

More: Mercedes Previews C-Class EV With A Face That’s Bound To Start Fights

The upcoming C-Class will follow the same approach, built on the MB.EA platform with 800-volt technology and a 94-kWh battery pack for the electric version. Teased earlier this year, it’s expected to launch in 2026 as Mercedes’ answer to BMW’s new i3.

The presence of Chinese automakers added some international flavor to this week’s Munich Motor Show, but in reality the event was more about familiar German brands and their new, and in some cases unfamiliar, faces.

Related: Star-Stricken Mercedes GLC EV Has A Grille Big Enough To Swallow A BMW iX3

All of the big German automakers were on hand with fresh concept cars and production models that showcased new stylistic directions. It feels like we’re at one of those moments where car design is changing across the industry for premium European brands after a period during which the big players have struggled to reinvent themselves and work out how to differentiate EV and combustion cars, or whether to even differentiate them at all. But have the Germans really rediscovered their design mojo?

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

Let’s start with BMW and the iX3, arguably the biggest story from the show because it’s about so much more than a new SUV. The iX3 is the first of the Neue Klasse cars and brings a fresh design language that will shape the brand’s entire lineup for the next decade, as well as a crucial new EV platform.

There was some murmuring here at Carscoops that the iX3’s profile deviated too far from Munich’s conventions, but overall this has to be viewed as a massive hit. BMW designs have mostly either been butt ugly or blandly handsome over the last 20 years, but finally here’s a fresh, modern-looking car with real presence, and one that brilliantly manages to riff on the classic face of old-timers without looking like a lazy retro rip-off.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

To our eyes, the iX3’s key rival, the electric Mercedes GLC, is far less successful. The body looks flabby and dull next to the BMW’s and while we’re all for the three-pointed star marque borrowing some classic inspiration to put new energy into its famous grille, the light-up nose on the GLC, which will find its way onto other future models as well, looks like an afterthought here.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

Audi’s Concept C looked far more confident. Previewing an electric TT successor that will share tech with the upcoming Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman EVs, it takes inspiration from both the TT and Auto Union’s 1930s Type C racers.

We’re reminded of the string of uber-strong Bauhaus-infused concept cars Audi delivered in the late 1990s and early 2000s, many of which made production, as well as Jaguar’s Type 00 concept, though we think Audi did a better job.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

Volkswagen’s ID. Polo and Polo GTI, the near-production versions of the car we previously knew as the ID.2, looked less radical in comparison, but they still represent a shift in the automaker’s design that hearkens back to the solid shapes and surfaces that made some of the brand’s biggest sellers so enduring.

Think about how fresh the Mk4 Golf still looks almost 30 years after we first met it, or the Mk1 does more than 50 years after it debuted. That’s the kind of self-assured, non-faddy style the ID. Polo embraces, but at the same time the ID. Cross showed VW could also have some fun with the same design language.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

And now it’s time for our question of the day: do you think the German automakers have got their design act together, or do some of them need to get back to the drawing board? And in the battle of the grilles, who did it best – BMW, Audi or Mercedes? Leave a comment below and let us know your opinions and the reasoning behind them.

Audi/BMW/Mercedes

The arrival of the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology marks more than just a significant model launch. It also signals the start of what Mercedes describes as the largest product offensive in its history.

Read: Star-Stricken Mercedes GLC EV Has A Grille Big Enough To Swallow A BMW iX3

Over the next three years, the company plans to launch more than 40 new models while working to significantly cut production costs. At the same time, it is making the controversial shift away from a pure luxury focus in order to pursue higher-volume, more affordable vehicles aimed at strengthening its financial position.

To prepare itself for a slew of new models, Mercedes has invested more than €2 billion ($2.3 billion) in its European assembly plants. Once the production ramp-up of the new electric CLA is completed at its Rastatt site in Germany, the brand will start building the GLC EQ in Bremen as well as the all-electric C-Class EQ in Kecskemét.

Expanding the Lineup

At the same time, the carmaker’s Sindelfingen plant will begin producing new electric models from Mercedes-AMG, including the production version of the recently unveiled Concept AMG GT XX.

While speaking at the launch of the new electric GLC, Mercedes-Benz chief executive Ola Källenius noted that “with the new electric GLC, the biggest product launch in our company’s history continues to gain momentum.”

Among the lesser-publicized additions is the upcoming VLE, an all-electric luxury MPV developed on the company’s new Van Electric Architecture. Designed to carry up to eight passengers, it highlights Mercedes’ intent to cover a broad range of segments. The lineup also expands with an electric “baby” G-Class SUV, a refreshed S-Class, next-generation versions of the GLA and GLB, and more.

Digitialization and AI

As Mercedes ramps up the production of several new models in Europe, it’ll integrate its MO360 and MO360 Data Platform production ecosystems into the plants, allowing for ‘digital twins’ of the sites to be made, where future improvements can be tested and verified before being implemented into the plants.

More: Mercedes Drops The “L-Word” And Is Ready To Flood The Streets With Mainstream Cars

Mercedes-Benz has also said that it will decrease production costs by 10 percent between 2024 and 2027. In addition to using digitalization to help achieve this, Mercedes will use artificial intelligence, increase the use of renewable energy, and push for greater production and logistics efficiency. 

Update: Fresh from the floor at the Munich Motor Show, we’ve added live shots of the new GLC with EQ Technology in all its illuminated-grille glory. Check out the gallery to decide for yourself whether it’s eye-catching, overdone, or maybe a bit of both.

While BMW has moved away from massive kidney grilles with its second-generation iX3 unveiled late last week, Mercedes-Benz has doubled down on the industry’s fascination with huge grilles, presenting the new GLC with EQ Technology at the Munich motor show. The all-electric SUV will join the Mercedes line-up in the first half of 2026, serving as a successor to the poor-selling EQC.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

Stand Out Looks

Visually, the new GLC with EQ Technology has similar proportions and a familiar shape to the current ICE-powered GLC, but features all-new front and rear fascias for the Mercedes brand. The most striking element of the new design is a reinterpretation of the classic Mercedes grille, now offered in an illuminated version with 942 small squares illuminated by 140 individual LEDs. Some will love it, while others will think it’s cheap and tacky, but there’s no denying it’s eye-catching.

Read: Mercedes Is Making A New Model For Americans In America

The headlights are also all-new and feature star-shaped (see a theme here?) LED daytime running lights, a design element that will become a signature across the entire Mercedes lineup. Plenty is going on at the rear, too, including similar star-shaped LED lights and a two-piece roof spoiler.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

Tech-Heavy Cabin

Mercedes has long built some of the finest interiors on the market, and it’s left no stone unturned in modernizing the cabin of the GLC for the electric era. The tech-heavy design is highlighted by the new seamless MBUX Hyperscreen, measuring 39.1 inches (99.3 cm) and stretching across the entire width of the dashboard.

Elsewhere, Mercedes has added an intricate ambient lighting system, but the real showstopper is the panoramic glass roof. It can shift from transparent to opaque across nine individually switchable segments, and for those who want something extra, an optional constellation of 162 illuminated stars creates what the brand calls a “magical experience.”

Positioned to the sides of the massive screen are gorgeous circular air vents, while located below it are two rectangular vents. There are also two cupholders and two wireless phone chargers on the floating console, making for what is a very minimalist design by Mercedes-Benz standards.

Power And Range

Now onto the mechanical stuff. The wheelbase of the GLC with EQ stretches 117 inches (2,972 mm), making it 3.1 inches (8 cm) longer than the combustion model. This boosts front and rear legroom and headroom. There’s also 570 liters (20 cubic feet) of cargo space in the rear and a 128-liter (4.5 cubic-foot) frunk.

All versions of the electric GLC use the same 94 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Mercedes has confirmed the range will launch with a flagship GLC 400 4MATIC version delivering 483 hp through a twin-motor system, but four other versions will follow.

Performance times haven’t been announced, but Mercedes says the GLC with EQ Tech will be able to drive up to 443 miles (713 km) on a single charge under the WLTP cycle. That’s not the only impressive thing. Thanks to the new-generation battery pack, the GLC supports DC charging speeds of up to 330 kW, meaning 186 miles (300 km) of range can be added in just 10 minutes.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

S-Class Suspension

Shoppers will be able to order the new GLC with the same Airmatic air suspension as the S-Class, complete with rear-axle steering and intelligent suspension control, aiming to improve comfort significantly. This system also communicates with traffic infrastructure to sense and respond to impending bumps in the road. The air suspension also uses Google Maps data to ensure the car is in its lowest possible setting for as long as possible, boosting efficiency. For example, if you’re on a highway and have to slow down for road works, the GLC will remain in its squatted position, whereas other cars using speed-sensitive air suspension often rise at lower speeds.

Mercedes-Benz is also boasting about a significantly improved brake regeneration system. Four different levels of recuperation are available, with the highest setting providing up to 300 kW of regen.

When Can I Get One?

Market-specific pricing details will be released at a later date. In the meantime, let us know what you think of the new GLC with EQ Technology below. Will it be a hit, or will it be a miss?

Update: With only a day to go before its official debut in Munich, the first exterior photos of Mercedes’ new GLC EV, a direct rival to the newly revealed BMW iX3, have surfaced online through outlets like KindelAuto and Reddit.

More: Mercedes Is Quietly Pulling The Plug On Two Of Its Newest EVs

Mercedes had suggested it would move away from the soap-bar styling of the EQ series, but in these images, the change seems mostly apparent at the front. An in your-face grille outlined in bright chrome takes center stage, filled with 942 pixel-like dots. Its overall design takes inspiration from classic Benzes such as the W108 and the Pullman. Taken on its own, it’s an intriguing modern reinterpretation, though it feels at odds with the rest of the car.

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In contrast, the rest of the GLC EV’s exterior feels more evolutionary than revolutionary. The silhouette is sleeker and somewhat more dynamic, yet it still carries echoes of the EQE SUV without the star-studded lighting elements. For now, the photos give only a partial sense of direction, so we’ll hold final judgment until clearer images arrive.

Original story continues below.

Mercedes has already teased the new electric GLC’s boldest exterior feature, its retro-futuristic light-up grille. Now it’s giving us a look at its wowest interior detail, a next-generation MBUX Hyperscreen display that stretches the full width of the car.

Related: Mercedes Is Replacing Its Most Disappointing EV With Something Way More Serious

At first look, the new baguette-shaped dashboard looks very similar to the setup in the electric CLA sedan that was revealed in March. But the CLA’s display is actually three (including an optional passenger display) cleverly concealed under a single pane of glass to make it look like one display, as was the original Hyperscreen that debuted on the 2021 EQS.

A True Single Display

The GLC’s, however, is a true single display, and at 39.1 inches it’s the biggest Mercedes has ever fitted to a production car.

Mercedes claims the high resolution and 1,000 LEDs that make up the display’s backlight technology deliver “exceptional clarity and vivid color,” but says drivers don’t need to worry about the Times Square of dashboards distracting them on the move. Intelligent zone dimming allows areas of the display to become less prominent while preserving important info. A bit like Saab used to, but one million times more high tech.

Two wireless smartphone charging pads are housed inside the uppper portion of the console, separated from the screen by a pair of central air vents. And directly below the chargers is a small strip of hard keys, plus a volume dial whose twin is located on the right-hand steering wheel spoke.

Lighting With Purpose

Ambient lighting is nothing new, but on the GLC it doesn’t only change according to the “mood” selected, but also shifts to notify the driver of changes to the system. Nudge the climate control’s digital temperature button and both the main ambient lighting and vent illumination briefly switch color to confirm the change.

The GLC with EQ Technology makes its full debut at the Munich auto show (IAA Mobility 2025) on September 7. The first of the new GLCs to launch is the GLC 400 4Matic with EQ Technology, which can add around 162 miles (260 km) of electric range in just 10 minutes thanks to its ability to charge at over 320 kW.

Mercedes