2026 GLC with EQ Technology Previews Mercedes-Benz Next-Gen EV Platform

Mercedes-Benz recently announced that it would change the way it names its electric vehicles (EVs), moving the EQ prefix to the end of its names. The first vehicle to bear the new name will be the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology.

The model premiers more than just a new suffix, though. It will be the first production vehicle underpinned by Mercedes’ new MB.EA electric vehicle architecture. Designed from the ground up as an EV-only platform, MB.EA will be the foundation for future vehicles as large as the top of the line GLS with EQ Technology.

The platform will be available with a number of battery chemistries, the most advanced of which will feature silicon carbide inverters and anodes with silicon oxide blended into graphite that makes them particularly efficient and comparatively light. Official data will be revealed upon the GLC with EQ Technology’s official unveiling, but Motor Trend reports that the model is expected to go over 800 km per charge on the Europe’s WLTP test cycle. It should be noted that North America’s test cycle tends to be more conservative with range estimates, but that’s still an impressive distance.

In addition to the fancy new batteries, the range is aided by other efficiencies. Heat pumps help keep the passenger cabin cool or warm while using around 30 per cent less energy than a traditional air conditioning system. The GLC with EQ Technology will also cut through the air smoothly thanks to an impressive coefficient of drag.

The new model will operate on an 800-volt system, and will be able to charge at rates of up to 320 kW. This should allow for short stays at the charging station when those fancy new batteries are depleted.

The batteries will funnel electricity to one or two motors, depending on what the customer wants. The rear motor was developed in-house by Mercedes, and powers the rear wheels. A motor at the front can be used to supplement it, and provides the GLC with EQ Technology all-wheel drive. Mercedes says that motors are controlled independently to allow them to react to the most relevant road conditions, and give drivers better control. Reports indicate that the highest-performance AWD variant will make as much as 670 hp.

When it comes to reining all that horsepower in, Mercedes says it has developed a braking system that combines the booster, master cylinder, and ESP control into one module. That allows the system to blend hydraulic and regenerative braking seamlessly to improve pedal feel.