The first mass-production electric vehicle from Daimler comes under the EQ sub-brand
Mercedes-Benz is flipping the switch, as it likes to say, launching the first mainstream-production electric vehicle, called EQC. Its mission is clear: to be the Mercedes-Benz among electric vehicles. Let’s take a better look at it and see what outlet-fed mobility solution the German carmaker offers us.
Powertrain
The EQC uses two asynchronous motors, deployed on each of the vehicle’s axle, with a total output of 408 metric horsepower (300 kW) and a whopping 765 Newton-meters (564 pound-feet) of torque.
The front electric motor is “optimized for best possible efficiency in the low to medium load range, while the rear one determines dynamism,” Mercedes explains. In terms of performance, the two motors help the 2,425-kg EQC reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill in 5.1 seconds, and attain a 180 km/h (112 mph) top speed, which is electronically governed, in typical Mercedes-Benz fashion.
The EQC has five different pre-defined modes the driver can play with: Comfort, Eco, Max Range, Sport, and Individual. Helping the driver is also a ‘haptic accelerator pedal’ that will remind users to push the pedal with care.
The motors are fed by an 80-kWh Li-ion battery pack that allows the Mercedes-Benz EQC to travel for as much as 450 kilometers (280 miles) on a single charge. Mercedes-Benz’s electric SUV also relies on a water-cooled onboard charger with a capacity of 7.4 kW (suitable for AC charging at home and public charging stations).
Interior
With 4.7 meters in length and a wheelbase of 2.8 meters, the MEA-based EQC has GLC-comparable dimensions, so there’s a good starting point if you want to imagine the EQC’s cabin roominess. We expect, of course, the battery-fed SUV to have a bit more room to spare thanks to the absence of a transmission tunnel. The EQC’s boot offers 500 liters of space.
The EQC’s cabin has an avant-garde electro-look, should we take Merc's word for it, which is quite a spot-on description. In good Mercedes-Benz (recent) tradition, the EQC features two wide displays mounted on the dashboard, one of them replacing the instrument panel with the other supporting the infotainment system.
Speaking of infotainment, the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) multimedia system now features EQC-specific functions through which you can observe the vehicle’s energy flow, as well as its charging status, range display, and the lot. Furthermore, it boasts “EQ optimized navigation, driving modes, charging current and departure time” features. The optimized navigation will create your itinerary keeping the charging stations in your route, and “bases its calculation on the fastest route taking into account the shortest charging time.”
Technology
The EQC wants to be as user-friendly as your smartphone, so Mercedes facilitate its use through a series of features and services also available on your smarphone (via the Mercedes me app). One new feature is the pre-entry climate control which “ensures that the vehicle interior is already at the desired temperature on departure.” Another notable mention is the EQ optimized navigation — where the route planning “responds dynamically to changes,” and calculates the fastest routes taking into account the shortest charging time.
Safety-wise, the EQC is cladded with the latest Mercedes-Benz driving assistance systems, to which some new functions are added. For example, the EQC’s Active Distance Assist will reduce the speed to around 100 km/h (62 mph), as a precaution, if a tailback is detected ahead.