2025 Mercedes GLB EV Takes Shape On New & More Capable Platform

Mercedes-Benz is working on both ICE and EV versions of the next-generation GLB, and the electric variant has been spotted testing for for the first time. It’s expected to hit the market in 2026 and while it’ll have a similar boxy shape to the outgoing model, it will have all-new underpinnings.
 

This prototype may be covered in camouflage, but some black tape across the front end hints at the shape of the new grille. Whereas the current GLB has a single horizontal slat across the grille, this new one appears to have three, but importantly, the grille itself doesn’t appear to be any bigger.
 
The new headlights include LED daytime running lights shaped like a three-pointed star, mimicking a design first previewed by the CLA Concept, which will become a common styling trait among every next-gen Mercedes model. Elsewhere, a panoramic glass roof is visible on this prototype, as are silver roof rails.
 

As with the current model, the glasshouse will remain quite large while the new taillights extend across the rear quarter panels, and their shape is hidden quite well but a combination of camouflage wrap and dummy panels.
 
The spy shots also offer a glimpse of the interior, where part of the digital gauge cluster is visible. Mercedes is doubling down on its seamless dashboard design, which integrates both the gauge cluster and infotainment screens into one panel, for a clean, modern layout.
 

Powertrain and Performance
Underpinning the new GLB will be the all-new MMA platform, which will be also used in the next Mercedes-Benz CLA. Electric models will feature an 800-volt electrical architecture that should offer an impressive 320 kW charging speed, capable of adding ~248 miles (400 km) when plugged in for just 15 minutes at a rapid DC charging station. At least two different battery packs are expected, and the longest-range model could offer a driving range of up to 466 miles (750 km) on a single charge.
 
What About The ICE Model?
For those who still prefer the hum of a combustion engine, the ICE-powered lineup will feature a mild-hybrid 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a small electric motor within an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The engine will be available in different outputs: 134 hp (136 PS), 161 hp (163 PS), and 188 hp (190 PS), with an additional 27 hp (20 kW) from the electric motor. Later on, we should see AMG performance version, likely incorporating hybrid assistance to provide extra power.