Mercedes-Benz has launched the all-new GLC Electric in India at Rs 78.5 lakh (ex-showroom). It is assembled locally and is now the entry point to the brand’s electric SUV line-up. The name can fool you. This SUV has nothing to do with the combustion-powered GLC. It sits on a brand-new electric platform with an 800V architecture. It promises a WLTP-certified range of 711km. Mercedes says it has already received 1,000 bookings. The SUV is sold out until March 2027. Deliveries start just in time for Diwali.
Exterior design
The grille is the biggest talking point. It has 914 individual pixel lighting elements. They animate different patterns when you park the car, switch it on or switch it off. The grille also echoes the long, vertical chrome grilles on old Mercedes cars like the W114 and W108. The three-pointed star DRLs in the headlamps and taillamps also catch the eye.
The India-spec GLC 400 comes with the AMG styling pack as standard. That adds 20-inch alloy wheels and sporty AMG-spec bumpers at the front and rear. The rest of the body has smooth, flowing lines and curved surfaces. It looks elegant. There isn’t much body cladding, so the SUV keeps an understated look. At the back, a wraparound gloss-black panel holds the taillamps and the Mercedes logo.
The GLC Electric is bigger than the ICE-powered GLC in every way. It is 140mm longer, 23mm wider and 12mm taller. The wheelbase grew by 84mm to 2,972mm. You can pick from six paint shades. They are Sheer Blue, Lavender Silver, Obsidian Black, Opalite White Bright, Patagonia Red Metallic and Alpine Grey Solid.
Interior and features
Inside, a massive 39.1-inch Hyperscreen stretches across the whole dashboard. It is not a triple-screen setup. It is one continuous panel with no bezels or partitions. The downside is that there are almost no physical controls, even for the climate system.
The rest of the cabin has the usual wood, metal and leather. The centre console uses black open-pore wood. The AC vents have a lovely knurled metal finish. Even the speaker grilles for the 15-speaker 3D Burmester sound system look beautifully made. Since this is the AMG Line spec, you get Mercedes’s sporty four-spoke steering wheel. You can pick Black, Beech Brown or Ivory Beige for the interior.
Other highlights include a panoramic glass roof with illuminated stars and two wireless chargers. You also get ambient lighting, AI-enabled functions, a powered tailgate and power-folding rear seats. The safety kit includes Level 2 ADAS with eight cameras and five radars. It also has auto parking assist, a 360-degree surround-view camera and nine airbags.
The front seats get massage and heating functions, but not ventilation. The boot holds 570 litres, and the frunk adds 128 litres.
Powertrain and specifications
The GLC Electric arrives in India as the 400 4Matic. It has a 94kWh battery that feeds two electric motors, one at the front and one at the back. That gives you all-wheel drive. The combined output is 490hp and 800Nm. Mercedes says it does 0-100kph in 4.3 seconds. That is very quick for a family SUV that weighs nearly 2.5 tonnes. It even has a 2-speed gearbox. One gear is for acceleration. The other is for efficiency.
The GLC 400 has a certified WLTP range of 711km. Mercedes gives you a 22kW AC charger as standard. With a 330kW DC charger, you can add 300km of range in just 10 minutes. The India-spec car has no rear-wheel steering and no air suspension. It rides on passive dampers.
Price and rivals
The GLC Electric has no direct rival in India at launch. The BMW iX3 will join the fight next year. The price is surprisingly close to the ICE-powered GLC range. It costs just Rs 1.5 lakh more than the petrol and Rs 50,000 more than the diesel. That makes it a real alternative to the ICE range. It gives you more space and a lot more tech.
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