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A 440-Mile Electric Do-Over With ‘Multi-Agent’ AI

- The Mercedes-Benz GLC with EQ Technology is its most important EV yet, bringing Mercedes’s newest tech to its most important segment.
- The GLC will offer over 400 miles of range and comes with an absolute boatload of AI features.
- Mercedes needs the GLC, as the company struggles with declining China sales and weak demand for its existing EVs.
Mercedes is in the middle of an electric-car do-over.
The brand bet big on EVs initially, only to find a lukewarm reception for its egg-shaped EQ cars. Having learned that lesson, Mercedes’s next generation of EVs is supposed to offer better software, a more conventional design language and far more efficient drivetrains. We’ve seen that all on the compact CLA sedan, but there’s a more important test case coming soon.
This is the 2026 Mercedes GLC with EQ Technology, and it’s the automaker’s most important EV yet.
Overview & Specs
The first big change with the new generation of Mercedes EVs is that they no longer use the EQ-plus-letter naming convention. Instead of a second-generation EQC, this is the GLC with EQ Technology, an admittedly inelegant name that nevertheless captures what the mission is: deliver an electric take on Mercedes’s best-seller, the GLC compact luxury crossover.
That means it’ll go right against the new BMW iX3. It’ll arrive at battle with much of the same kit that BMW is bringing into its next-gen crossover: An 800-volt-class architecture, a new software suite, a promise of constant over-the-air improvements, a more efficient powertrain and an AI-enabled cockpit. We’ll get into that later.

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
Like BMW, Mercedes is promising over 400 miles of range, though specific figures for the U.S. market are not yet available. We do know that the GLC will offer two powertrains to start. The base model is the rear-wheel-drive GLC 300+ W/EQ Technology, offering 369 horsepower and 371 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel-drive GLC 400 4Matics get 483 hp and 596 lb-ft of torque, good for a zero-to-60 time of 4.4 seconds.
If that’s not quick enough, you can safely assume an AMG version is in the works. Mercedes says either version of the GLC should charge from 10-80% in under 24 minutes, peaking at a healthy 330 kilowatts.
Inside, you get a truly gargantuan screen on top-end models. The optional Mercedes-Benz “Hyperscreen” is the brand’s biggest display ever, at 39.1 inches. That’s over three feet of diagonal screen real estate. But standard GLC buyers will have to settle for the “Superscreen,” which integrates three separate displays: a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, a 14-inch infotainment screen and a 14-inch passenger-facing screen.

The Hyperscreen is a pillar-to-pillar display offering Mercedes’ latest software.
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
Regardless of which screen you choose, you get Mercedes’s newest version of its MB.OS infotainment software. Naturally, you also get its advanced driver assistance features, including traffic jam assist and automatic lane centering with auto lane changes. Massaging seats, air suspension, four-wheel steering and matrix LED headlights are all available.
Why It Matters
All three of the big German automakers have been struggling with two concurrent issues: EV growth is happening more slowly than they thought, and Chinese sales are collapsing far quicker than expected.
Companies that used to scoff at Chinese automakers are now having to play catch-up, as software-defined architectures have been the norm in China for a while now. With pressure at home from imported Chinese vehicles, sales in China tanking and the U.S. market now protected by a tariff wall, it’s a tough time to be a German automaker.
Mercedes knows it has to retake the lead. It’s been working hard to turn things around, starting with the CLA EV, which is supposed to be a new efficiency benchmark. But while the drivetrain advancements are important, the real challenge is building a software platform that can rival the smoothness and ease-of-use you get in a Tesla, Rivian or Chinese EV. As BMW goes all-in on “zonal architectures,” Mercedes is focusing less on how the software is built and more on what capabilities it can offer.

The GLC ditches the blobby styling of the EQ SUVs, though its grille is certainly a statement piece.
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
So while BMW seems to be keeping its AI efforts more internal, Mercedes went shopping around.
The new GLC’s voice assistant will fetch information from both ChatGPT and Microsoft Bing AI, and uses Google Gemini-powered conversational navigation, which can handle complex queries like “find me an Italian restaurant that’s open right now and offers outdoor seating.” Mercedes calls this the “Multi-Agent” approach: “By selecting the best source for each task, even within the same conversation, it
unites the collective knowledge of the internet,” the automaker said.
On top of all of that, Mercedes says its own AI can provide information about the vehicle itself. For instance, Mercedes says you can ask your car whether you can plug it into your household outlet, and the AI agent will help teach you about charging practices. That seems useful to me, even as a bit of an AI skeptic.
But whether all of this marketing copy translates to a world-class experience in the real world remains unknown. Our man Andrei Nedelea got some time with the Mercedes CLA recently, and while he liked the software, he wasn’t blown away by its AI features. We’ll have to see if the GLC moves the ball forward.

The star-shaped taillights are a unique flourish.
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
Pricing & On-Sale Date
In Andrei’s CLA review, he said the success of the CLA will come down to how much it costs. Months later, we still don’t know the answer to that, and the GLC is no different. Given that the Mercedes will be built in Europe, though, it’ll be subject to an import tariff in the U.S.
Without pricing for either model, it’s hard to know how they will stack up to the BMW iX3 or even existing competitors like the Audi Q6 E-Tron. But Mercedes needs this car to be a hit. The company’s first EQC was supposed to make it to the U.S., but never did for a wide range of reasons. Its next-gen EQ cars did, but largely flopped. Now, it’s putting its newest technology into one of the most hotly contested EV segments at a pivotal moment for the company. In this industry, you can’t whiff three times in a row.
The good news for Mercedes is that, on paper, the GLC looks like the right thing at the right time. It offers great range and specs in a growing segment, backed by a brand people like and with styling that’s most conventional. The company just needs to deliver on the software and on price.
We’ll find out if Mercedes can pull it off next year, with deliveries of the GLC 400 4Matic commencing in late 2026 and GLC 300+ sales kicking off in early 2027.
Contact the author: Mack.Hogan@insideevs.com
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Northrop Grumman’s new spacecraft is a real chonker

What happens when you use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus supply ship? A record-setting resupply mission to the International Space Station.
The first flight of Northrop’s upgraded Cygnus spacecraft, called Cygnus XL, is on its way to the international research lab after launching Sunday evening from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This mission, known as NG-23, is set to arrive at the ISS early Wednesday with 10,827 pounds (4,911 kilograms) of cargo to sustain the lab and its seven-person crew.
By a sizable margin, this is the heaviest cargo load transported to the ISS by a commercial resupply mission. NASA astronaut Jonny Kim will use the space station’s Canadian-built robotic arm to capture the cargo ship on Wednesday, then place it on an attachment port for crew members to open hatches and start unpacking the goodies inside.
A bigger keg
The Cygnus XL spacecraft looks a lot like Northrop’s previous missions to the station. It has a service module manufactured at the company’s factory in Northern Virginia. This segment of the spacecraft provides power, propulsion, and other necessities to keep Cygnus operating in orbit.
The most prominent features of the Cygnus cargo freighter are its circular, fan-like solar arrays and an aluminum cylinder called the pressurized cargo module that bears some resemblance to a keg of beer. This is the element that distinguishes the Cygnus XL from earlier versions of the Cygnus supply ship.
The cargo module is 5.2 feet (1.6 meters) longer on the Cygnus XL. The full spacecraft is roughly the size of two Apollo command modules, according to Ryan Tintner, vice president of civil space systems at Northrop Grumman. Put another way, the volume of the cargo section is equivalent to two-and-a-half minivans.
“The most notable thing on this mission is we are debuting the Cygnus XL configuration of the spacecraft,” Tintner said. “It’s got 33 percent more capacity than the prior Cygnus spacecraft had. Obviously, more may sound like better, but it’s really critical because we can deliver significantly more science, as well as we’re able to deliver a lot more cargo per launch, really trying to drive down the cost per kilogram to NASA.”
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ascends to orbit Sunday after launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, carrying Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft toward the International Space Station.
Credit:
Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Cargo modules for Northrop’s Cygnus spacecraft are built by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, employing a similar design to the one Thales used for several of the space station’s permanent modules. Officials moved forward with the first Cygnus XL mission after the preceding cargo module was damaged during shipment from Italy to the United States earlier this year.
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Texans vs. Buccaneers prediction, odds, time: 2025 NFL Week 2 Monday Night Football picks from proven model

A double dose of ‘Monday Night Football’ kicks off with C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans hosting Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The hosts are looking for their first win of the 2025 NFL season after stumbling in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams 14-9. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers head into NFL Week 2 with a victory under their belts, having held off the Atlanta Falcons 23-20 to start their season. Both teams will be missing a key receiver with Christian Kirk (hamstring) out for Houston and Chris Godwin (foot) out for Tampa Bay.
Kickoff from NRG Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET. Houston is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Buccaneers vs. Texans odds, and the over/under for total points scored is 42.5. The Texans are -146 favorites on the money line (risk $146 to win $100), while the Bucs are +122 underdogs (risk $100 to win $122). Before making any Texans vs. Buccaneers picks, be sure to see what the SportsLine projection model has to say.
New users can also target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $200 in bonus bets instantly plus over $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket:
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model is on a 33-17 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its NFL betting picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns.
Now, the model has zeroed in on Texans vs. Buccaneers. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Buccaneers vs. Texans:
Buccaneers vs. Texans spread |
Texans -2.5 at DraftKings Sportsbook |
Buccaneers vs. Texans over/under |
42.5 points |
Buccaneers vs. Texans money line |
Houston -146, Tampa Bay +122 |
Buccaneers vs. Texans picks |
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Buccaneers vs. Texans streaming |
Fubo (Try for free) |
Why the Buccaneers can cover
The Bucs went 10-7-0 ATS last season and have already covered the spread in their first game of the season. They were arguably lucky to get the win in Week 1 since they didn’t generate much yardage, but Mayfield still threw three touchdown passes and rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka shined by catching two of those TDs. Egbuka can help open up the offense by taking some of the attention off of Mike Evans, giving Mayfield options against a Texans defense that allowed 244 passing yards in Week 1. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Texans can cover
Houston is in a position to rebound after Ka’imi Fairbairn scored all of its Week 1 points with three first-half field goals. Nico Collins can have a bounce-back game by frustrating a Buccaneers defense that allowed the fourth-most passing yards in Week 1 (289 out of 358 yards total). Nick Chubb had 13 carries for 60 yards against the Rams, so he should be firing on all cylinders in his first home game with the Texans. Houston was 7-8-2 ATS in 2024 and covered four times at home. See which team to back at SportsLine.
New users can also check out the latest FanDuel promo code and get $300 in bonus bets instantly at FanDuel if your $5 bet wins.
How to make Texans vs. Buccaneers picks
For this NFL Week 2 Monday Night Football game, the model is leaning over the total, and also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. See what it is at SportsLine.
Who wins Buccaneers vs. Texans, and which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Texans vs. Buccaneers spread you need to jump, all from the model that is 33-17 on top-rated picks since 2024, and find out.
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Video of ‘Meta Ray-Ban Display’ glasses surfaces ahead of Connect

Meta’s smart glasses plans were already one of the worst kept secrets, as there have been more than a year of leaks and reports about its work to add a heads-up display to the product. Now, just days before their unveiling at Connect, a promotional video of the new frames seems to have leaked.
The video, reported and reposted by UploadVR, shows the new “Meta Ray-Ban Display” frames as well as a new model of camera-enabled Oakley sunglasses. The clip mainly features the new Ray-Ban glasses, and shows a pair of black frames with clear lenses that look similar to the company’s previous Wayfarer frames.
Meta is adding two new pairs of glasses to its lineup.
(Screenshot)
The glasses also include a small display that’s able to show info like a map preview, chats with friends and information related to what you’re looking at. As reported, it also shows a dedicated wristband for the device. The video briefly shows someone swiping with their fingers in order to type out a reply to a message in a chat app.
The clip also shows a new pair of Oakley frames that don’t have a display. The sunglasses seem to be based on the company’s wraparound Sphaera frames and show a camera in the center directly over the nosepiece. That would line up with prior reporting about the glasses that suggested Meta planned to market the glasses to cyclists and other athletes.

The latest Oakley Meta glasses will have a different camera placement.
(Screenshot)
A separate promotional video of the Sphaera sunglasses also cropped up on Monday. That video more clearly shows the placement of the camera in the center of the glasses, but doesn’t reveal what, if any, new features might be arriving with the device.
UploadVR reports that both videos briefly appeared on Meta’s official YouTube channel as unlisted clips but were later removed. We’ve reached out to the company for comment.In the meantime, you can read more about the company’s new smart glasses lineup and what to expect at Connect here. Engadget will be reporting live from the event beginning September 17.
Update, September 15, 2025, 2:56PM PT: Added info about a second video showing the Oakley sunglasses.
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