Did you really think Mercedes-AMG was going to leave the electric GLC alone? There was never a chance that the GLC300+ with its 369 horsepower or the GLC400 and its 493 hp were enough for those goons in Affalterbach. They have much bigger plans for the compact electric crossover that’ll apparently draw heavily from the AMG.EA drivetrain we first saw and in the AMG GT XX concept car.
While there’s nothing official yet, it’s expected that the AMG GLC will use three axial-flux motors. One will be placed on the front axle, and two more will be on the rear. Combined, they’re going to put out over 900 hp, according to Autocar. That’s nearly twice the power of the GLC400. It’s also a hell of a lot more power than competitors like the Porsche Macan Turbo EV, which has to make do with a measly 630 hp, and the Cadillac Lyriq-V, which has 615 hp.
That gargantuan power number should be enough to rocket the AMG GLC from 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds, sources tell Autocar. It’ll eventually go on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. To add to the fun, it’s expected that the AMG GLC will get the same sort of simulated gearshifts we’ve seen on cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Lexus RZ 550e F-Sport. Is that necessary? Of course not, but it’ll surely be a hell of a lot of fun.
Get all the power
The key to unlocking all of this power in the AMG GLC apparently lies within the car’s battery technology. It all has to do with the use of new cylindrical cells, according to Autocar. They are supposed to offer better power density and thermal characteristics to the ones that can be found in the standard car. The 800-Volt battery pack will also reportedly employ a direct cooling system where coolant flows around each individual cylindrical cell. That’ll help to maintain the ideal operating temperature.
It doesn’t take a genius to know that for a battery to work well, it’s gotta be a the right temperature. AMG engineers, who seem to be actual geniuses, say that the new temperature management is imperative for sustaining the high discharge rates that the car needs for a tri-motor setup. Of course, it also needs to function as a regular car, so it keeps the capability to charge consistently at 400 kW. That’s actually a 70 kW increase over the standard model.
Obviously, there’s no word on when the AMG GLC will be out or how much it’ll cost. We’re still a ways away from the standard car reaching our shores. It’s expected that the GLC400 4Matic will hit showroom floors in late 2026, and the GLC300+ will follow in early 2027. I’d guess we’ll see in AMG variant sometime in late 2027 or early 2028, and I cannot wait.
