Photo credit: Car and Driver From Car and Driver The switch from the internal-combustion engine to the electric motor is not something the German auto industry was particularly keen on. Granted, there have been a number of EV concept cars and prototypes, but the main effort was invested in perfecting conventional powertrains. Now comes the first indication that times may be changing. Although it's still not clear whether a comprehensive switch is feasible or even desirable, if it happens, Germany will be prepared. At Daimler, the Mercedes-Benz’s EQ sub-brand has been created for the purpose of developing and marketing a lineup of fully electric cars. The first one is the Mercedes-Benz EQC, unveiled today at an event in Stockholm. The EQC is based on the Mercedes-Benz GLC, but the design team under Gorden Wagener has succeeded in creating a highly original and forward-looking styling language. There is an EQ-specific grille, with the headlights connected by a central LED strip at the top of the grille. The rear end, similarly, is dominated by a wide, horizontal light bar that will be a signature of every future Mercedes-Benz EQ model. The three-pointed star on the grille is illuminated, and on the liftgate the badge incorporates the handle release and the backup camera. The wheels range from 19 to 21 inches, and some versions feature blue accents. There is even an optional AMG Line appearance package with package-specific bumpers, grille, and other styling bits. Photo credit: Car and Driver Built at the same Daimler plant in Bremen, Germany, the new model shares many interior features with the GLC as well. But unlike the current GLC, this cockpit is fitted with the new MBUX user interface, an industry-leading system that includes cutting-edge infotainment and telematics functions, housed within two 10.3-inch display screens. Rose-gold accents on parts of the interior like the stitching and the slats in the HVAC vents are an exclusive EQ touch. We’ve ridden in a late prototype and were duly impressed by the quietness and straight-line performance of the new model. The EQC400’s powertrain, fed by an 80.0-kWh Accumotive lithium-ion battery pack, consists of two induction motors, one coupled to the front axle and one to the rear. Total output is 402 horsepower delivered to all four wheels. (Coincidentally, that is exactly the same as the iconic W140-series 600SEL that launched in 1990.) With 564 lb-ft of torque available at launch, it accelerates even faster than that V-12 S-class of yore: Zero to 60 mph is said to take just 4.9 seconds. Top speed, on the other hand, is far less impressive, with the EQC electronically governed at 112 mph. Five driving modes are offered: Comfort, Eco, Max Range, Sport, and Individual. There also are five levels of regenerative braking, selectable via steering-wheel paddles, the most aggressive of which allows for one-pedal driving. Story continues Photo credit: Car and Driver Mercedes-Benz claims a range of up to 200 miles. Using the standard DC fast charging, refilling the battery from 10 to 80 percent will take an estimated 40 minutes. Of course, the range comes with a penalty: The batteries alone weigh a whopping 1433 pounds. Total weight of the vehicle is estimated to be around 5350 pounds. The EQC400 moniker hints that there may be further versions to come, whether more powerful or less. The fact that this car is based on the GLC platform means that it doesn’t fully take advantage of the theoretical benefits of an electric-only architecture, making for an interesting situation. The GLC is now offered with gasoline, diesel, gasoline plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains. Together with the EQC, that makes five different powertrain concepts. Never before have the merits of so many different propulsion systems been so directly comparable. Most buyers, though, will be comparing the new EQC to the Tesla models and the Jaguar I-Pace. Pricing is yet to be announced, and production starts in 2019 with the model going on sale in the United States in 2020. Photo credit: Car and Driver ('You Might Also Like',)<doc-sep>Photos: Mercedes Earlier today, Mercedes premiered its first-ever production fully electric SUV , the Mercedes-Benz EQC. It boasts 402 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque, which is impressive, but the EQC’s range seems to leave a lot to be desired. Advertisement The official Mercedes-Benz press release lists the EQC’s range at “up to 200 miles,” which falls pretty far short of the Tesla Model X 75D’s claimed 237 miles of range, the Jaguar I-Pace’s claimed 240 miles of range, and wouldn’t even keep up with the 2019 Hyundai Kona EV or Chevy Bolt. It’s bad. It’s really bad. And Mercedes seems to be aware that it’s bad, as it’s already trying to fudge the numbers, with company representatives telling tech outlet The Verge that “the preliminary estimated range figure for the EQC of 200 miles for the U.S. is incorrect.” According to Verge writer Sean O’Kane on Twitter, Mercedes instead offered the range as 450km, or around 280 miles according to NEDC standards, which are not a good gauge for the EPA’s range estimates, meaning the range could still be close to 200 miles. (For example, the I-Pace is rated at 300 miles on the NEDC standard, but the EPA only rates it at 240 miles.) The Verge’s headline now just reads a range of “over 200 miles.” Advertisement Mercedes, the automaker that prides itself on producing vehicles that are “The Best, or Nothing,” should be understandably disappointed that its big fancy premiere EV is already beat on the spec sheet by a Chevy hatchback. Especially when a range closer to 300 miles was clearly promised with the debut of the EQ concept crossover back in late 2016. It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in Mercedes’ ability to compete with the upcoming EV onslaught from Audi and BMW, so what happened? And it’s not exactly an issue of battery size, either. The I-Pace gets its 240 miles from a 90 kWh battery pack, where the EQC is an 80 kWh pack. The Tesla Model X 75D is, as you may have guessed, a 75 kWh pack. Advertisement To be fair, range anxiety mostly factors in if you take a long of long road trips, which most folks don’t do day-to-day. But it is a factor for buyers, and it’s a clear indication of where Mercedes is currently at with the technology in comparison to its competition. Advertisement Another strange quirk of the new EQC is its lack of a frunk. Where the I-Pace and Model X managed to carve out space under the “hood” for additional storage space, one of the less-impressive but still notable benefits of an electric car, the EQC offers no such accomodation as the space is taken up by “electric drive system components,” according to Mercedes in an email to Jalopnik. This is a weird first step into EV manufacturing for the company that used to innovate the industry with its S-Class just a few years ago, and it may just be down to rushing something out of the door before everybody else. In the end, maybe buyers won’t care about range so much as long as the car still offers the Mercedes-Benz ownership experience, which means luxury and hopefully better dealership service. Advertisement But the development teams behind the Tesla Model X, Chevy Bolt, Hyundai Kona, and Jaguar I-Pace, all of which got in before Mercedes and still managed better results, should be deservedly smug right now.<doc-sep>Look out Tesla—the 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC made its World Premiere in Stockholm, Sweden today. The EQC 400 4MATIC is the first Mercedes-Benz to debut under the all-electric EQ (Electric Intelligence) brand. It sports an all-new drive system with compact drivetrains at each axle. "The EQC embodies the Progressive Luxury design idiom of our new EQ product and technology brand. This creates an experience and a preview of the 'next big thing' to come tomorrow," said Gorden Wagener, Daimler chief design officer, in a statement. "With its seamless, clear design, the EQC is a pioneer for an avant-garde electric look with trailblazing design details and color highlights typical of the brand inside and out." Here are a few facts about the latest luxury EV from Mercedes-Benz that goes on sale in the U.S. in 2020. 1. The dual motor electric motors generate 402 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque. The motors are mated to a single-speed transmission. Mercedes-Benz claims an estimated 0-60 mph time in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 112 mph. 2. An 80 kWh lithium ion battery with standard DC Fast Charging (110 kW) can provide 10-80% of a charge in 40 minutes. Charging times for 120V home socket and 240V wall socket have not been announced. 3. The EQC 400 4MATIC has an estimated range of up to 200 all-electric miles. Aside from Tesla, its chief competitors are the Audi e-tron quattro, Jaguar i-Pace, and BMW iX3. Pricing hasn't been announced at this time.<doc-sep>
Year, Make, Model: 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC Topline: Mercedes-Benz revealed its first EQ-branded electric passenger vehicle, the EQC400 crossover due out in 2020, in Stockholm Tuesday. What's New: Of foremost importance is the EQC400's powertrain. Its 4Matic all-wheel drive is propelled by two asynchronous electric motors, meaning the two are optimized for different uses. The front axle has a motor designed for efficient operation at low-to-medium load, primarily cruising, while the rear can turn a stomp of the accelerator into forward momentum. Together, the two make 402 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque, allowing zero-to-60 in 4.9 seconds and a top speed limited to 112 mph. Juice is held by an 80 kilowatt-hour battery, which Mercedes estimates to be able to give the EQC400 up to 200 miles of range. With 110-kilowatt fast-charging, this battery can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 40 minutes. Daimler AG As one would expect of a technological showcase like the EQC, advancement isn't limited to the drivetrain. Standard tech includes the company's new MBUX infotainment and navigation system, controlled by voice and touch. Optional upgrades include seven varieties of bicolor alloy wheels in sizes ranging from 19 to 21 inches, one of which is part of an AMG-Line sport appearance package. An improved safety assist suite can be ordered, as can comfort options like the multimodal, 64-color ambient lighting system. But the Mercedes-Benz EQC isn't just about tech, it wears the EQ brand's "Progressive Luxury" design language expected to manifest across the brand's entire EQ lineup. LED strips connect the tops of both the taillights and headlights, and though the front bumper and grille are recognizably Mercedes, they do to a degree resemble offerings from other automakers, notably last-generation Ford Explorers. Daimler AG Quotable: "With the EQC—the first fully electric SUV from Mercedes-Benz—we are flipping the switch," explained Daimler Chairman and Mercedes CEO Dieter Zetsche in the automaker's press release. "Electric drive is a major component in the mobility of the future. We are therefore investing more than ten billion euros in the expansion of our EQ model portfolio, and more than one billion euros in global battery production." Daimler AG