Mercedes-Benz has announced that it will commence bookings for the new GLC Electric in India from the first week of October, with the launch scheduled to take place towards the end of the year. The new all-electric GLC will be locally assembled in India. Mercedes also says this is the fastest a global vehicle will come to India as an assembled model, within just six months of sales commencing in Europe.
- GLC 400 4Matic gets a 94kWh battery with 715km WLTP range
- Will be offered with all-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering in India
- Interior gets a 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen spanning the dashboard
Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric technical details
Mercedes has confirmed that the GLC Electric will be offered in 400 4Matic guise that comes with a 94kWh NMC battery and is claimed to return up to 715km of range on the WLTP cycle. It gets a dual motor setup, effectively giving it all-wheel drive capability, and the combined output is rated at 490hp and 800Nm. Mercedes claims it can sprint from a standstill to 100kph in 4.3 seconds, which is pretty brisk for an SUV that weighs over 2500kg. It will also be offered with rear-wheel steering as standard.
Notably, the GLC Electric will arrive in India in its standard wheelbase guise with 2972mm between the front and rear axles; even though Mercedes has a long-wheelbase GLC Electric in China that adds a further 55mm to the wheelbase, the brand hasn’t opted for its usual long-wheelbase approach for India with the GLC Electric.
Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric exterior and interior details
In terms of design, the GLC Electric is rather pleasing to look at, and not as polarising as some of Mercedes’ other recent models. It sports the brand’s new signature star-themed LED lighting elements; a large illuminated grille and rounded proportions that are quintessentially Mercedes. AMG Line models get sportier-looking bumpers, the wraparound band at the rear housing the taillights looks neat, and wheel sizes go up to 21 inches, depending on the variant.
Inside, the highlight is the 39.1-inch MBUX Hyperscreen – the largest display Mercedes has ever put in a car. It stretches across the whole dashboard, combining the driver’s display, touchscreen and passenger screen into one. The infotainment system runs on a newer version of MBUX, with cleaner menus and even a built-in AI assistant. Mercedes has also brought back physical buttons and knobs for the steering wheel and centre console, ditching the touch-sensitive controls usually seen in electric vehicles, but the cabin interface still remains largely digital. The wood panels on the centre console and lower part of the dashboard, however, do lend it an old-world charm.
Given the fact that it will be locally assembled, the GLC Electric can be expected to be priced fairly competitively, which we expect to be in the region of Rs 80 lakh to Rs 90 lakh (ex-showroom). It will have a direct rival in our market in the BMW iX3, which is set to launch next year, notably in long-wheelbase guise.
Dipan Sur
Viraaj Bhatnagar
