Mercedes have taken the wraps off their first ever fully electric SUV and the first car to fall under their new ‘EQ’ prefix. The EQC is built to rival the likes of the new Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X. There will be up to 10 pure electric Mercedes models introduced before 2025, with this new EQC being number 1.
To get an idea of size, the EQC will share its wheelbase with the Mercedes-Benz GLC, however, this model is considerably lower and 105mm longer. It is based on the ‘Generation EQ’ concept that Mercedes released all the way back in 2016 and, in fairness, the production model has maintained a large amount of the original styling.
Inside the EQC is an upgraded version of the Mercedes GLC’s luxurious cabin, with a dashboard and centre console which we expect will feature inside a facelifted GLC in 2019. The EQC has up to 500 litres of luggage space too, which is 80 litres more than the GLC. Mercedes clearly want to champion the versatility of this new EV SUV.
Now, for the geeky stuff. The EQC will use an electric drivetrain which consists of two electric motors working in tandem, with one motor powering the front wheels and a second motor powering the rears, meaning the EQC will be 4 wheel drive in certain driving modes.
Combined, the two motors will generate 402 bhp and 564 lb-ft of torque. This makes it marginally more powerful than the Jaguar I-Pace (395 bhp) but the EQC weighs a staggering 2,425 kilograms, which is almost 300 kilograms more than the Jaguar.
Performance wise, we are expecting a 0-60 mph time of just 5.1 seconds for the EQC and the top speed will be limited to 112 mph. The EQC will also have a towing capacity of up to 1,800kg, which really emphasises the versatility of the car.
A 650-kilogram lithium-ion battery is onboard with 80kwh of power to offer, this can be charged from 10% to 80% in around 40 minutes from a public DC charging point. The battery is also powerful enough to offer up to 280 miles of range on one charge when tested under NEDC standards, which roughly equates to around 200 miles of ‘real world’ driving.
Some EQCs will be built in the Mercedes-Benz production centre in Beijing, China, however, UK models will be built exclusively in the Bremen Mercedes plant in Germany and are expected to start from just shy of £70,000, with the first deliveries anticipated for Q3 of 2019. The pricing does put it on par with the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi E-Tron, but which model stands out as the most appealing electric SUV to you? Let us know!