The Mercedes EQC Is Stuttgart's Tesla Model X Beater
Here it is, the first in what’s in expected to be a long line of all-electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz. It’s called the EQC, and it’s part of a €10 billion EV investment programme at Stuttgart.
It’s a significant car, then, but when Joe Public spots it trundling down the road in silence when first deliveries kick off in 2019, they aren’t likely to spot it. The styling is just a big safe, isn’t it? Rather like a GLC that’s been out in the sun too long and melted a little.
Compared to the Jaguar I-Pace with its angular and futuristic looks and the Tesla Model X that packs those party-trick Falcon-X doors, it’s a thoroughly ordinary affair. But then that’s probably the point - Mercedes clearly doesn’t want to scare anyone off taking the already daunting switch to electric power with quirky ‘LOOK AT ME, I’M AN EV!’ styling.
In any case, what it lacks in exterior design flair, it makes up for in practicality. It’s longer than a GLC and without the packaging concerns related to internal combustion engines, it should be cavernous inside. It has a 500-litre boot, too.
It has two electric motors - one on the front axle and one at the rear - giving a combined output of 402bhp and 564lb ft. A smidge more than the Jaguar, but at 2425kg it’s nearly 300kg heavier. It’s still reasonably quick though, managing the 0-62mph sprint in 5.1 seconds.
More weight inevitably means the range isn’t quite so good - it’ll do 280 miles according to the soon-to-be-defunct NEDC cycle, while according to the more realistic WLTP test it’s 249. The I-Pace will do 292 WLTP miles and 310 according to NEDC, and Tesla Model X 75D can manage 251, although that’d NEDC - there’s no WLTP figure yet.
That’s more than enough acronyms for one day, so let’s take a look at charging. Mercedes has fitted the car with a water-cooled onboard charger with a 7.4kW capacity, which can be used with a normal plug socket at home. Fit the Mercedes-Benz Wallbox, and the charging time is cut down to a third, although estimated times haven’t been given for either method. If you can find a 110kW charger - which right now isn’t all that easy - you can charge the EQC’s battery pack from 10 - 80 per cent in 40 minutes.
In the cabin, that feeling of playing it safe continues - there’s not a whole lot in there you won’t recognise from existing Mercedes products. That side, the cutaway section in the dash with its snazzy light strips is a nice look.
Production of the car will start next year at the Mercedes plant in Bremen.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
I wanted the rear lights from the concept
Woah they still make the R-Class?
Would be nice if they did. It looked really good and was a 5+2. Good rival for the Disco Sport
When I read that title:
AMG EV?
What a lazy piece of design.
“Oh yeah put some blue stripes on the wheels, then people will know it’s electric”
“You know the headlight cover glass? Why don’t we just, like, extend that around the bottom of the ‘grille’ unnecessarily, like something Renault would do”
“Everything from the A-pillar back is looking a little plain, just do a little ‘flick’ with the C-pillar, yeah that’ll do it”
It’s just a rebranding exercise, might as well have just been an electric version of a GLE. Nothing new here. No frunk either- way too conventional
Merc haven’t built a decent looking car since the S-Class, if not the previous E-Class
That’s the whole point of the car. It’s supposed to be a regular car which is electric, not some overly exaggerated design that will get outdated in 5 minutes.
I think it looks like the least ev, ev. As in it doesn’t look like its owners are vegan loving hippies.
I agree the headlight design and the blue design element is a bit over the top, but then again it is not a ugly vehicle. I am pretty sure this will be less polarizing to most people compare to Tesla Model X
Jesus that is ugly
Well it is a Mercedes afterall
Porsche called, they want their rear lights back
Kia called too..
The real question is who the hell measures trunk capacity in liters?
It’s a common thing in europe, to me it’s the easiest way to understand the trunk capacity
Europeans. We like it that way.
How is it measured in your country? I think most places that use the metric system measure it like that but I’m not completely sure
It’s because 1 liter = 1 cubic decimeter. Everrything make sense in metric
Literally every country in the world except the USA.
So another SUV ?
If it has a Mercedes logo, it will sell anyways…
Competition in the E-SUV market is like swanky bottled water - the options available are all far too expensive, almost completely interchangeable, and honestly I don’t give a toss about which one is supposedly “best”
For us petrol heads that may be true, but keep in mind were the minority.
Most costumers care about features, cool design, driving assists and brand recognition more than anything else. To me Teslas are very bland too, no emotions and packed with useless gadgets, yet a lot of people love them and say its the best car thats ever been built