The Mercedes-Benz GLC-class EV will be the debut vehicle to showcase the brand’s stunning new grille design. The grille’s grid-matrix design was based on old Mercedes cars, like the 1902 Simplex. Mercedes will offer two grille options: one that remains unlit and another that moves and is lit up. The introduction of the GLC-class EV marks the beginning of a new phase in Mercedes-Benz’s electric vehicle strategy. To celebrate, the company is introducing a new front-end style that draws inspiration from its past, abandoning the smooth and fluid design language used on its EQ models. The new electric GLC-class SUV will feature a grille reminiscent of the grid-matrix design seen on classic Mercedes models, dating back to the 1902 Simplex. The front of that car has a large, tall radiator with numerous small square holes that allow air to enter the cooling system. The form of Mercedes’ grilles changed over time, but until the 1980s and 1990s, they all had a square center. For better or worse, the new version has a more modern feel to it. In the electric models, the previously functional square inlets have been swapped out for a grid of LED lights. When the driver hits the “unlock” button, the GLC EV’s grille illuminates with 942 backlit square dots that move in unison as a welcome gesture. A different light-up strip surrounds the whole picture, and the huge Mercedes-Benz star logo is also lit up. Too bright for you? Don’t worry—you don’t have to get the illuminated form. The version that isn’t lit is less bright and features a chrome frame with squares of a smoky white material that resembles glass. The shiny grille also comes in two colors, which you can see above: Dark Chrome Optic and Silver Shadow. You will see this new pattern on Mercedes cars in the future. However, the GLC EV, which will be shown for the first time at the Munich IAA auto show in September, will be the first car to use the new grille design. EVs should be included, but so should Mercedes cars that run on gas or electricity in the future. We believe the new design gives the car a distinctive Mercedes-Benz identity, especially when compared to the jellybean-like front ends of the EQE and EQS models. Hopefully, this will appeal to American customers, who haven’t been as excited about the company’s past attempts at electric vehicles as people in other parts of the world.
