EQ from A to X: Mercedes’ strategy for winning the electric fight
The electric revolution is upon us, and Mercedes-Benz will join the action, probably with a sub-brand called MEQ, according to industry sources. The company claimed the EQ prefix for its models, ranging from EQA to EQX, and the logical conclusion is the establishment of an entire range of electric vehicles.
Expect to have the normal assortment of EQA, EQB, EQC, EQE, EQS and other suffixes corresponding to existing models. However, Mercedes-Benz doesn't plan to start with an MPV or a medium-sized limousine like BMW or Tesla, but with a sedan that falls between the C and E-Class. Expect some design cues from the breathtaking IAA Concept.
Mercedes-Benz could present a concept for this sedan at the Paris Motor Show 2016, but the production version is slated for 2018. The sedan will be followed by two small SUVs and an S-Class correspondent. The first of the crossovers will be positioned between the current GLC and GLE SUVs, while the second will be larger than the current GLS. Hopefully, it will not look like the Vision Tokyo Concept below…
Mercedes-Benz will thus have an impressive range of EVs in 2020, being able to compete with Tesla, BMW, and Audi in the luxury EV market. But it will do this its own way.
Why Mercedes-Benz EVs could beat the competition
The main EV competitors are focusing their efforts on delivering either extremely efficient eco people movers or extremely fast and semi-autonomous sports cars. The Mercedes-Benz strategy would be to offer higher refinement inside the cabin, on par or even better than its currently offering. The Germans can put their experience to work and deliver cars that justify their hefty price not only by sheer performance but especially by the sophisticated user experience they offer.
Expect to have a flexible platform that allows building several models with minimum investment, a layout that includes batteries in the floor and electric motors on one or both axles. Mercedes-Benz plans to have a 300-mile range or more on its EVs – this will be the standard by 2020 anyway. On the gadget side, expect semi-autonomous driving features, but also a focus on travel refinement: adaptive suspension, torque vectoring, self-parking, variable body aerodynamics, and connected driving.
Pricewise, the new range will start at around $100,000, which would put the new EQ brand on a collision course with Tesla and the rest of the gang. Unlike Tesla, however, the plan is not to conquer the world with Mercedes-Benz EVs: just 20,000 cars per year would make the company's shareholders happy.
Mercedes-Benz also plans to produce its own batteries, driving costs even lower. However, the fact that Mercedes chose to start production at an existing Bremen plant means that the company will not go the BMW way and build completely new production processes and factories. This, in turn, will drive costs up and reduce its EVs' performances. It is also a sign that the company would not focus its main efforts towards electric mobility. Not yet, at least.