Seems like an exciting prospect, doesn’t it?
Mercedes-Benz is right in the thick of the testing phase of its first-ever purpose-built electric vehicle, the EQ C, which the company previously said was set to be launched in 2020, but was then revised for an early-2019 introduction. Interestingly they’ve turned the teaser machine on overdrive for the silent battery-electric model and have released a video showing a heavily-disguised model winning over a potential buyer in the Black Forest.
It will be the very first purpose-built electric Mercedes, built on an all-new platform called EVA (or Electric Vehicle Architecture) using hot-pressed steel and aluminium. Further, Mercedes-Benz will utilise a new wiring loom that permits the transmission of up to 100% to either the front or rear wheels depending on demand. In concept guise, the EQ C packed a dual-motor setup that promised to deliver more than 300kW (which was verified in the video), which could leave some of Mercedes-Benz’s high-performance internal-combustion SUVs red-faced.
That said, the EQ C will likely be significantly heftier than its internal-combustion counterparts, due to the batteries (mounted under the floor). It’s said that the EQ C will tip the scales at a figure north of two tonnes, though that’ll be nullified somewhat by the sheer amount of torque on offer.
When not impressing passengers with the sub-5.0sec century sprint time, the EQ C should be capable of managing about 500km on a single charge, matching its competition. Interestingly, Mercedes-Benz has resisted making the EQ C look too distinctive and try and mark it out as an electric car, instead adopting a design that looks broadly similar to the Mercedes-Benz GLC, sans unique headlight and taillight treatments (least that’s what we’ve seen so far).
The cabin of the EQ C is also not expected to stray too far from Merc’s established design language, with a massive widescreen display spanning 2/3rds the way across the dash, as well as a touchscreen input panel beneath on the centre console too, the way the Audi A8 and Range Rover Velar have. We also expect to see Mercedes-Benz’s new infotainment system, MBUX, on full display here too with its ‘natural’ voice command system and always-on capabilities.
And once the EQ C is settled, Mercedes-Benz will quickly populate the EQ brand with an EQ A (a compact hatch not too dissimilar to an A-Class), which was first seen in concept form at the Frankfurt motor show last year.
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