Mercedes GLC EV Gets An Unusual Makeover During Development

Mercedes-Benz is facing a moment of reckoning with its EV plans, and the upcoming GLC electric crossover might be the first to hint at a strategic shift. Our photographers spotted a new prototype testing on public roads sporting a different front end than previous test vehicles. This is unusual so late into the development cycle, but the German carmaker feels the heat after its electrification strategy backfired, turning the EQ brand into a dud.
 

Mercedes-Benz was among the first German carmakers to become aware of the need to develop electric vehicles. Its first modern EV was launched in 2010 as the electric variant of the Vito panel van, with the electric B-Class following in 2012. The latter used a Tesla-supplied battery, but it was not very successful, forcing Mercedes-Benz to discontinue it due to low demand.
 
The Germans launched the EQ brand in 2016 at the Paris Motor Show, with plans to flood the market with electric models in every market segment. The first to launch was the EQC, an electric variant of the gas-powered GLC, based loosely on the design of the Generation EQ concept that introduced the EQ brand in 2016. Although the EQC was slated to launch in the US, it never crossed the Atlantic, as Mercedes-Benz admitted it would be unsuccessful.
 

However, this is set to change with its successor, which will drop the EQ branding and follow Mercedes-Benz’s classic nomenclature. Ironically, while the first generation was a modified ICE vehicle with an EV branding, the upcoming GLC will be an electric vehicle modified to accept a combustion engine and ICE branding. This doesn’t make it less acceptable, but it shows that Mercedes-Benz’s EV strategy failed, and it was forced to come up with a solution rather quickly.
 
There’s another hint that Mercedes-Benz changed the direction mid-flight. After it started testing the prototypes of the 2026 GLC EV over a year ago, it apparently changed its design before production. This is highly unusual, especially so late in the development cycle. However, it’s the only conclusion we can draw from the latest prototype sighting.
 

The pictures show a vehicle with a redesigned front end, including the hood and the headlights. Although puzzling, the decision could have several explanations. For once, Mercedes-Benz decided that aerodynamics needed improvements and optimized the front design accordingly. Another reason could be that crash-test results dictated a structural change at the front, leading to a new design.
 
Finally, Mercedes-Benz might’ve realized that its design was unattractive, which was considered to be the main cause of the EQ branding failure. If that’s the case, we might expect a similar change for the upcoming C-Class, which shares the technical details and the overall design with the GLC. The redesign suggests that Mercedes-Benz will adopt a larger grille and a taller hood. That’s strange because I thought Domagoj Dukec left BMW for Rolls Royce, not Mercedes.