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Mercedes-Benz Australia recently flagged it is looking to bring back plug-in hybrids to the Australian market after a resurgence in PHEV popularity, but there’s not been any confirmation as to what model we’ll see arrive first.
It could be this: the 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC350e. It’s a plug-in version of the brand’s most popular model here in Australia, and it comes with some impressive features and numbers.
Mercedes-Benz claims it offers 87km of electric-only driving range, making it a suitable option to get through most average days of driving without needing to run the petrol engine.
While the specifics of the GLC350e would have to be confirmed locally if the car was to make it to Australia, the technical details revealed for its launch in the US reveal it’s powered by a 230kW/550Nm drivetrain consisting of a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and a single electric motor.
A 24.8kWh battery provides the 87km of driving range and can be charged at up to 60kW on DC and the standard 11kW on household AC, but Mercedes USA says even on its fastest charge the battery can take more than 30 minutes (minimum) to max out.
Pricing is confirmed for the US kicking off at between US$59,900 (AU$88,300) for the base to US$63,500 (AU$93,600) in ‘Pinnacle’ trim, but given the GLC300 costs upwards of AU$113,900 here, we’d expect to see a fair amount more than that on the sticker price for a GLC350e if (likely when) it lands here.
The reason Australians don’t currently have the option to buy a Mercedes-Benz PHEV is the brand’s hesitation to lean into the technology after it said it didn’t think plug-ins were regularly being charged by owners.
PHEV sales are now on the rise here, and Mercedes Australia boss Jaime Cohen told CarsGuide this month that he’s seeing Mercedes customers once again show interest in PHEVs.
“In the beginning there was… a little bit of a question mark of ‘what is this really?’” he said.
“But as the consumer becomes more ecologically minded and really would like to go towards an option that pollutes less, they would like an electric [vehicle] but the infrastructure is not quite there.
“This is a nice step to do that. Be more concerned with the environment, to protect it, but we have the peace-of-mind that if I'm in a place where it's only different charges, I can feel comfortable. So the plug-in hybrid keeps that.”
Along with the GLC350e, a C-Class PHEV (the C350e) is also on offer in the USA, though slower sales of sedans here in Australia could mean the GLC would be a more likely first PHEV for the brand here.
