Electric Mercedes-Benz GLC exceeds official range by almost 100 kilometres
The Mercedes-Benz GLC 400 4Matic surprised in an independent range test, covering 631 kilometres on a single charge. That exceeds its official US EPA range by 98 kilometres, or 18.4 per cent. Even more telling was its energy consumption, which was 14 per cent lower than the quoted figure.
A test reported by US publication Edmunds confirms that Mercedes-Benz’s new electric SUV uses energy remarkably efficiently. While the all-wheel-drive GLC has an EPA-rated range of 533 km on a single charge, it managed 631 kilometres in the test.
Energy consumption was an even bigger surprise
Edmunds’ test route consisted of 60 per cent city streets and 40 per cent highways. The average speed was approximately 64 km/h, and the climate control operated throughout the drive.
The GLC’s measured energy consumption was 17.6 kWh/100 km, compared with the official EPA figure of 20.5 kWh/100 km. Such a large difference points to an efficient electric drivetrain and effective energy management.
However, the result should not be taken as a typical highway range. At higher speeds, particularly on European motorways, aerodynamic drag increases, as does energy consumption. Winter temperatures also reduce the distance the car can cover.
Europe’s official figure is even higher
The GLC 400 4Matic uses two electric motors with a combined output of 360 kW and a battery with a usable capacity of 94 kWh. Under Europe’s WLTP test cycle, Mercedes-Benz quotes a range of up to 715 km.
The 800-volt electrical system supports DC charging at up to 330 kW. At a suitable charging station, charging the battery from 10 to 80 per cent takes approximately 22 minutes.
In Edmunds’ test, the Mercedes outperformed the Audi Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan Electric. The publication had not yet tested the range of its main rival, the BMW iX3, using the same methodology.
In Europe, pricing for the electric GLC starts at €64,736 in Germany, although that figure applies to the GLC 250 with the smaller battery. The GLC 400, with its larger battery and more powerful all-wheel-drive system, costs more.
Mercedes-Benz showed that an electric car’s actual range need not fall short of its official figure. The GLC’s 631-kilometre result is impressive, but its moderate energy consumption is even more important. Efficiency, rather than ever-larger batteries alone, determines how competitive electric cars are.
