Benz has shared images of the vital EQC replacement undergoing sign-off testing in Scandinavia.

FIRST off, a shout out to the people who develop the patterns applied to cars that, because they are still in development but need to be tested in the real world, require an effective disguise so we can’t yet easily pick what they will look like.

The application for the next Mercedes Benz GLC - yes, we absolutely know what you’re looking at today is that, because these images come direct from the maker - is really great.

Not only does it effectively camouflage the shape, but it looks impressively artistic while doing so. You can imagine some adventurous actual owners checking out if they can achieve something like this for the cars they buy.

These images capture the battery-wed edition undergoing winter testing in Scandinavia, which is a final sign-off before it enters production.

That times in with the car in electric and internal combustion formats being fully revealed, at a motor show in Munich, though it won’t be on sale until 2026.

GLC’s showroom availability is going to be a big news day, because this car has important dual roles in its next iteration.

Not only does it replace a model that has been very popular with New Zealand buyers in its various internal combustion engined formats.

Just as importantly, the electric derivative will stand as a replacement for this brand’s first electric production car.

The EQC that came out in 2019 and won New Zealand Car of the Year - the bone fide properly national one, decided by NZ Motoring Writers’ Guild - the following year kicked off the whole EQ electric ideal.

Pulled from the market last year, EQC was almost as large as the previous GLE, which is next size up from GLC. Benz bosses now feel the slightly more compact application is a better idea.

So this one will also be badged EQC? No. Mercedes is pulling back from the EQ sub-brand, so more bets are on it simply being labelled GLC with additional ‘EQ Technology’ badging to highlight that it runs batteries, rather than the various ICE powertrains also incoming.

Mercedes saying this level of presentation ‘caters to all customer needs’.

The cold weather work around the town of Arjeplod is to ensure the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is up to scratch. Benz says it is happy with how it has performed.

This GLC is the first Benz to the first car to ride on an all-new platform called MB.EA. The electric is dual motor and has has a front-axle drive unit, which can be rapidly engaged or disengaged using a ‘Disconnect Unit’ (DCU) when required.

As with most dual-motor electrics, there’s no physical link between the axles, which means sensors detect spinning wheels and then apportion the torque out according to whichever one has the most traction. Kiwis can already try this out with the massive G 580 with EQ Technology, aka the ‘electric’ G Class, which has a motor in each wheel.

GLC isn’t quite that fancy but the motors use electronics incorporating silicon carbide inverters, while the SUV’s braking system includes a booster, the master cylinder and ESP control in one compact module to provide a precise level of braking feel. Also, as usual, on an electric, the GLC can decelerate via either full disc friction or motor regeneration phases.

Benz has yet to share specifics about the battery size and range, but has confirmed it has an 800-volt architecture, allowing for a DC maximum charging speed of 320kW, with as much as 260km of range added in little more than 10 minutes.

The rear drive motor will have a two-speed transmission associated with it, presumably allowing for a higher top speed in the EV without sacrificing its low-speed acceleration; this is a feature seen on the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.

Mercedes has also shared that the batteryuses anodes with silicon oxide blended into graphite, which allows for a higher gravimetric energy density. In simpler terms? The GLC will achieve higher one-shot driving ranges, while its battery pack shouldn’t weigh as much as traditional EV power cells. To help maintain this impressive electrical efficiency even in freezing temperatures, well beyond those usually experienced in NZ, it comes with a heat pump as standard.

Other highlights include superior practicality to the old EQC. There's a large 100-litre frunk, plus a 560-litre rear boot.

GLC is set to be produced at Mercedes' plant in Bremen, Germany, and another factory in Beijing, China. There’s also been talk about manufacturing the car in the United States.

The electric car market has been a bit quiet in NZ for the past 14 months, and the global demand isn’t as marked as was being forecast a couple of years ago.

Benz is among brands to have altered its plans to deliver fewer full electrics and more hybrids. But it will be busy. It recently announced that from now until 2027 it will roll out no less than 17 EVs and 19 combustion vehicles.