MERCEDES-BENZ GLC 400 4MATIC ELECTRIC

RESET BUTTON

- WORDS KRANTI SAMBHAV

It's been 6 years now, and we are still trying to figure out what, why, and how. Trying to make sense of everything that happened during a phase we went through called 'pandemic'. It was a confusing time, when we weren't sure of anything: bare hands or gloves, social distancing or no distancing, mask on or mask off, and vaccine or no-vax. And, most important for us- outdoor shoot or no shoot! That was exactly when I drove the electric GLC for the first time. Even Mercedes was trying to figure out something then. Just like us, but the quest was different. How to approach electric mobility? What would be the optimal battery tech? The platform? What are luxury car buyers thinking? How to combine the future with a strong legacy? Should they continue with the same philosophy, or leap? And leap they took. They started a new model series, changed the design philosophy, made it distinct and futuristic, and named it EQ. That was the car I drove, wearing a mask. It was called 'EQC'. But, unlike us, Mercedes seems to have figured it out now.

The electric SUV version of the C-Class I drove on the ICAT track in Gurgaon and the one I drove in Faro, Portugal, are two totally different products. And I am not just talking about dropping the EQ prefix; the frunk in the new one, a 0-100 figure that's almost a second faster, top speed going from 180 to 210 kmph, or a major bump in the range - the changes are beyond just numerical, mechanical, or cosmetic. The GLC Electric is a new statement of intent from Mercedes-Benz. It's a reset button. Why do I say that? Many reasons, maybe too many for one story. Let me elaborate.