On August 4, Mercedes showcased its heritage-inspired illuminated grille for the upcoming 2027 GLC EV. This new look is as futuristic as it gets.
If you remember the movie Pixels, you’ll see how this new Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle fits into the futuristic mix. The new grill shows up with amazing style and pixels across the front, which allows it to have styling that departs from most EVs. While these pixels are easy to see, not like today’s resolutions with millions of tiny pixels, the blocks across the face of the 2027 GLC EV give Mercedes-Benz a new styling signature.
Minecraft design
The most recent movement and movie release of Minecraft boosted the use of pixelated design elements in several industries, including the automotive industry. Mercedes-Benz is using this design to showcase its new EVs, and it wants the world to know that they are the first company to use this style for the grille area. This new grille will make its debut on the new GLC with EQ Technology, which makes it an electric vehicle. This small and active vehicle is the compact luxury SUV that many will likely turn to when they want a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle.
Pixels for future EVs
This new pixelated design on the front of the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC EV will be used for future EVs as well. The grill for the compact luxury SUV consists of 942 square pixels that are illuminated by as many as 140 LEDs. This will allow the new grille to display greetings and animations that can make this electric SUV a little more fun for drivers and anyone who sees it. There’s a “breathing” screen that pulses as the EV waits for the owner to push the start button and get ready to head out for a drive.
A grille gallery?
Would it seem strange to see an entire hallway that looks like an art studio set up with displays of grilles? Mercedes-Benz has done this with black-draped walls that have been decorated with various grilles from the brand for past decades. Each display has its own mount, which makes it look like an artwork on display. The hallway of grilles features evidence that the pixelated grille originated with the 1902 Mercedes Simplex, which had a honeycomb style to it. The tubes of this grille were square-shaped, which means the new grille or the EV is a throwback with futuristic styling and transitional lighting.
Will this new look be mistaken for another automaker?
Despite offering a new grille look and using pixels, the new GLC EV might be mistaken for a vehicle from another automaker. This new EV looks an awfully similar to some of the Hyundai models, especially when you consider the similarities in the grille. Hopefully, most people will see the differences and allow Mercedes-Benz to have its day in the sun, but some might wonder why one of the top luxury automakers built a grille that looks like the same thing that Hyundai offers.
Mercedes-Benz is doing it right
Many automakers dove off the ICE platform and into the EV pool to try to capitalize on the massive push for EVs, but that has slowed. Instead of diving in deep to grab fast profits, Mercedes-Benz developed the GLC PHEV model first before transitioning to a complete EV model. This new GLC will arrive for 2027, adding the electric vehicle setup to the mix, which makes perfect sense. The current GLC model is still pretty fresh, which means the new electric model won’t be a styling departure from where we are today. The new grille will be a unique addition to this EV, but otherwise, the electric GLC should be extremely similar in size and style to the ICE model.
Sharing is caring
The new 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC EV shares several technology concepts with the upcoming CLA. These two models will share battery chemistry, which has been made less cobalt-reliant to reduce costs while building the battery packs. The battery pack includes an 800-volt architecture that supports charging at ports up to 320 kW.
Power for this new GLC comes from two electric motors, allowing this SUV to enjoy the benefits of 4Matic AWD. The front motor can be disconnected when not required, which allows the GLC to enjoy improved driving range when only one motor is doing all of the work.
As you would expect, this new GLC EV has regenerative braking that allows you to recapture much of the energy that would be lost to braking. There’s an auto-regen mode that can bring the SUV to a complete stop, ensuring you can enjoy one-pedal driving as long as you need to. Early reports show that this new regenerative braking setup is smoother and more relaxed than in other EVs.
Lots of questions about the GLC?
The new 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC EV is an impressive small SUV, but there are still some questions. How much driving range does this EV offer? How much power does it have? What will the price point be for a new compact electric SUV? The new pixelated Mercedes-Benz grille is stylish, modern, and impressive, but it certainly adds to the cost of the vehicle. Will this new GLC be the electric SUV that you love to drive every day?
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