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Ola Källenius
Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO), Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Mercedes-Benz Group AG

1 electric GLC. 5 challenges. 30 minutes. | CEO Ola Källenius tests the prototype

📅 Jul 10, 2025 Mercedes-Benz 8 MIN 111 SEGMENTS · 2 SPEAKERS
30 minutes. Five challenges. And Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius with the all-new electric GLC on the test track in ...

Questions asked in this interview

8
  1. 0:15You behind the wheel of the all-new electric GLC and 30 minutes of pure driving adrenaline. Are you in?
  2. 0:46Envelope one here. Ola, are you ready?
  3. 0:52It says: From zero to 100, test the all-new electric GLC’s instant acceleration and smooth control. You are up for it?
  4. 3:02Should we give it a go?
  5. 4:21Do you see the charging port?
  6. 4:54Can the GLC really tow a classic Mercedes?
  7. 6:38Do they let you drive them at night?
  8. 7:03How do you feel we performed on the challenges?
Ola Källenius 0:14 ↗
Hello?
Sarah 0:15 ↗
Hey Ola, how about this? You behind the wheel of the all-new electric GLC and 30 minutes of pure driving adrenaline. Are you in?
Ola Källenius 0:23 ↗
That sounds good, but there is someone I need to bring with me.
Sarah 0:29 ↗
Ola, good to see you!
Ola Källenius 0:31 ↗
Sarah, great to see you. How are you doing?
Sarah 0:33 ↗
I am about to be better because I hear you have some challenges for us.
Ola Källenius 0:37 ↗
Absolutely! Look at this beauty. It is the new all-electric GLC and today, we have to complete five challenges. Why don’t you give me those envelopes and you drive.
Sarah 0:46 ↗
Okay, let’s do it. Envelope one here. Ola, are you ready?
Ola Källenius 0:52 ↗
I am ready.
Sarah 0:52 ↗
All right. It says: From zero to 100, test the all-new electric GLC’s instant acceleration and smooth control. You are up for it?
Ola Källenius 1:04 ↗
Easy.
Sarah 1:04 ↗
Let’s do it.
Ola Källenius 1:06 ↗
But let me warn you. This is an electric car - massive torque, massive power. Even though this is an everyday commuter car, it is going to feel like you are driving an AMG GT.
Sarah 1:18 ↗
Well, I will be the judge of that, Ola.
Ola Källenius 1:20 ↗
Okay, here we go! We are at zero: 3, 2, 1, go!
Sarah 1:27 ↗
Oh my God! It takes off! It is like being in an airplane!
Ola Källenius 1:30 ↗
And that was the hundred already. In an AMG GT, you would say: 'That is what I bought'. But you are in a GLC, our most selling model, and you believe you are in a sports car.
Sarah 1:43 ↗
It definitely felt sporty. I only need to do that one once.
Ola, envelope number two.
Ola Källenius 1:50 ↗
Okay. What have you got?
Sarah 1:54 ↗
Tight turns, fast direction changes, race through the slalom as quickly and precisely as you can.
Ola Källenius 2:00 ↗
Okay. The slalom, my personal favourite. To keep things interesting I will…
Sarah 2:05 ↗
Oh, you have a cup of coffee!
Ola Källenius 2:07 ↗
Okay. So I have a lot of responsibility here.
Sarah 2:10 ↗
No pressure.
Ola Källenius 2:11 ↗
This being an SUV, normally you would say this is a comfy ride, right?
Sarah 2:15 ↗
Yes.
Ola Källenius 2:16 ↗
But with the battery, the centre of gravity is really low. The suspension is tight, top of the line air suspension. Let’s see what this baby can do.
Sarah 2:24 ↗
Let’s see how she handles.
Ola Källenius 2:25 ↗
Let’s go!
Sarah 2:25 ↗
Do your best!
Ola Källenius 2:28 ↗
Wow! Okay! Oh, she is tight. Yes. Okay.
Sarah 2:38 ↗
Let’s see how many you knocked down.
Ola Källenius 2:40 ↗
Just the one.
Sarah 2:42 ↗
Just the one.
Ola Källenius 2:43 ↗
Could have been the wind.
Sarah 2:44 ↗
Like a professional skier, you just graze it.
Ola Källenius 2:47 ↗
My coffee is still in the cup, that’s what counts.
Sarah 2:49 ↗
Good! That worked. Kudos to the engineers!
Ola Källenius 2:52 ↗
Yes. Well done, guys!
Sarah 2:55 ↗
Clue number three.
Ola Källenius 2:56 ↗
Okay. Clue number three. I have a feeling I know what it is going to be. Okay. Let’s see.
Sarah 3:02 ↗
This is for outside the car. It says: Everyday capacity check, see how much space the GLC really offers and how much you can fit into the trunk. Should we give it a go?
Ola Källenius 3:13 ↗
Challenge accepted.
Sarah 3:14 ↗
Open the trunk, I will get the first bag.
It looks like we ran out of space for the groceries.
Ola Källenius 3:25 ↗
This is full, but I have a magic word for you.
Sarah 3:29 ↗
What is it?
Ola Källenius 3:30 ↗
It is not trunk, it is frunk.
Sarah 3:31 ↗
Frunk? To the frunk!
Ola Källenius 3:33 ↗
Let’s go to the frunk. Here we go. Plenty of space in there. No problem.
Sarah 3:41 ↗
Perfect. The frunk saves the day.
Ola Källenius 3:43 ↗
The frunk saves the day.
Sarah 3:44 ↗
Let’s go to challenge four. Ola, no time to lose. Clue number four.

52 more exchanges in this transcript

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Cite this transcript

APA, MLA, BibTeX
APA

Källenius, O. (2025, July 10). 1 electric GLC. 5 challenges. 30 minutes. | CEO Ola Källenius tests the prototype [Interview transcript]. Mercedes-Benz. CEOInterviews.AI. https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1004515/

MLA

Ola Källenius. "1 electric GLC. 5 challenges. 30 minutes. | CEO Ola Källenius tests the prototype." Mercedes-Benz, 10 Jul. 2025. Transcript, CEOInterviews.AI, https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1004515/.

BibTeX
@misc{kllenius2025_1004515,
  author       = {Ola Källenius},
  title        = {1 electric GLC. 5 challenges. 30 minutes. | CEO Ola Källenius tests the prototype},
  howpublished = {Interview transcript, Mercedes-Benz. CEOInterviews.AI},
  year         = {2025},
  month        = {jul},
  url          = {https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/1004515/},
  note         = {Speaker-attributed transcript with timestamps}
}