Mercedes-Benz has not tried to hold back any insinuation or show if intent that it has an extensive and deeply entrenched plan to electrify its range of vehicles and to be one of the frontrunners in the shift away from petrol and diesel.
Our first real glimpse into parent company Daimler’s electrification roadmap will likely come very soon at the 2016 Paris Motor Show where Mercedes-Benz is reported to be showing off the first in a new range of electric vehicles destined for showrooms. The maiden vehicle is also purported to be an SUV.
According to a report by Autocar UK, though, the name for this new family is called ‘EQ’. The zero emissions cars that will fall under this nomenclature will be offered as a parallel to the marque’s established spread and will include the EQA, EQC, EQE, EQG, and EQS, as suggested by Benz’s UK trademark applications.
Of course, cars like the EQA will likely conform to the size and hierarchy of their current A-Class, and the EQC mimicking that of the C-Class, EQE for the E-Class, and so on.
Curiously, the terms EQ Boost and EQ Inside were also found in the trademarking documents. This could mean that EQ will be an umbrella term for cars as well as technologies that use zero emissions technology, i.e. electric propulsion, suggesting a hybrid version of a current-day sedan could sport an ‘EQ’ badge as well.
The report also goes on to indicate that the EQ will be an independently managed sub-brand akin to Daimler’s Smart and AMG divisions, but will no doubt use the ‘Mercedes-Benz’ as a halo identity to mainstream customers.
Until now, though, this was expressed recently through futuristic concept vehicles that more often than not did not feature an internal combustion engine. And while lithium batteries and electric motors have pervaded the Benz stable of vehicles, they are rather humdrum hybrid configurations (with or without the ability to be charged from the mains as a plug-in).
Mercedes-Benz have also experimented with hydrogen fuel cell cars, but again there is nothing much to point to that sets it apart as a clear technology leader. One that captures the imagination or changes mindsets.
Now, though, with increasing demand for fully electric vehicles, greater subsidies for such cars in key markets such as China and its native Germany, and the very real possibility of playing second fiddle in the minds of car buyers looking jump away from combustion-powered cars, Mercedes-Benz cannot afford to appear as passive as they have been.
Both BMW and Audi with the i and e-tron sub-brands have also accelerated their plans to roll out an extensive electric vehicle line-up, and tensions are rising among the big three German premium brands to outshine the other on this front.
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