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>The Takeaway At a media roundtable with Dr. Zetsche, the question of fuzzy boundaries among the sub-brands was raised—or, as Zetsche put it, answering a question with a hypothetical: "When a Mercedes gets an electric drive, it becomes an EQ; when a Maybach gets an electric drive—does it become an EQ?" And there might be some minor issues in that regard, at first. (Zetsche also said that he would "be surprised if we had to wait 10 years" to see a full-electric AMG vehicle.) But in fact, EQ signals the first step in Daimler's all-out conversion from fossil-fuel-powered cars to electric vehicles and the general "mobility" mentality. It's not that, in 10 years, some Mercedes-AMG (or -Maybach, or -Benz) vehicles will be electric, and others won't; by then, likely all new Mercedes cars will be electric—and some of those EVs will be badged "AMG," or "Maybach," or "Benz." In a sense, EQ is designed to fail as a sub-brand by succeeding wildly as a concept. It all starts with the EQC 400. When you look at this car, you're looking at the future of Mercedes-Benz as we know it.<doc-sep>The ultimate version of the first serious all-electric car from Mercedes-Benz has finally been revealed. The Mercedes-Benz EQC, an all-wheel drive electric SUV with more than 200 miles of range, was officially announced on Tuesday, nearly two years after the original concept SUV debuted at the Paris Motor Show. It was unveiled at an event in Sweden where Dieter Zetsche, the head of Mercedes-Benz, called it the “dawn of a new era” for the company. Fully known as the Mercedes-Benz EQC400 4MATIC, the EQC will go on sale in the US in 2020. Pricing has not been announced. Production will start in 2019 in Germany, and it will eventually spread to China and potentially to the company’s US plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, down the road. It will be quick, but it won’t last as long as the competition While Mercedes-Benz teased a range of around 300 miles with the concept version, the production EQC will potentially travel less than that on a full charge. Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler says it estimates the EQC will get about 280 miles per charge, but that’s based on the notoriously optimistic NEDC standards used in Europe. For comparison, the Jaguar I-Pace is rated for 300 miles with NEDC but is rated at 240 miles with the EPA in the United States. This means the EQC could wind up short of the range performance of luxury SUVs like the I-Pace or the base version of the Tesla Model X 75D (rated at 237 miles with the EPA). (Audi’s forthcoming electric E-Tron SUV is supposed to reach close to 250 miles, as is BMW’s electric iX3 SUV.) Still, it’s a huge leap from the company’s first attempts with the electric B-class and Smart Fortwo EV. Mercedes-Benz says it will be possible to charge the 80kWh battery pack from 10 percent to 80 percent in 40 minutes using DC fast chargers. (Mercedes-Benz USA initially sent out press materials that said the EQC’s estimated range was both “around” and “up to” 200 miles. A representative for the company told The Verge after publish: “Our colleagues in Stuttgart have advised us that the preliminary estimated range figure for the EQC of 200 miles for the U.S. is incorrect.”) It might be a little light on range compared to the competition, but the EQC is otherwise packed to the sunroof with features. The SUV uses Mercedes-Benz’s slick new MBUX user interface / infotainment system, which dominates the dashboard, thanks to two 10.25-inch digital displays. Heated seats, 19-inch wheels, rose gold accents, and adaptive headlights are all standard. Optional features include 64-color ambient lighting and Mercedes-Benz’s driver assistance package. The EQC will be a tick slower than the I-Pace and on par with the Model X 75D, making it from 0–60 mph in 4.9 seconds. Its top speed is also electronically limited to 112 mph. (The Model X has a limited top speed of 155 mph, while the I-Pace tops out at 124 mph.) But it otherwise sounds generally quick, with 402 horsepower coming from the two electric motors (one on each axle). Mercedes-Benz EQC vs. the competition Specs Mercedes-Benz EQC Tesla Model X 75D Jaguar I-Pace Audi E-Tron Quattro (concept) BMW iX3 Specs Mercedes-Benz EQC Tesla Model X 75D Jaguar I-Pace Audi E-Tron Quattro (concept) BMW iX3 Range Over 200 miles (est) 237 miles 240 miles 248 miles (est) 250 miles (est) 0-60mph 4.9 sec 4.9 sec 4.5 sec 4.5 sec TBA Top speed 112mph 155mph 124mph TBA TBA Battery 80kWh 75kWh 90kWh 95 kWh 70kWh Weight TBA 5,185 lbs 4,784 lbs TBA TBA Horsepower 402hp 518hp 394hp 429hp 270hp Price TBA $79,500 $69,500 TBA TBA Like most other major automakers, Mercedes-Benz (and Daimler) have committed billions of dollars toward making its cars more electric in the coming decade. The EQC is the first of an entire future lineup of EQ-branded all-electric cars. The company also already makes hybrid (dubbed EQ Boost) and plug-in hybrid (EQ Power) versions of some of its existing sedans and SUVs. The EQC, then, is Mercedes-Benz’s attempt to introduce customers to what is still a very new type of car. By the time it’s on sale, though, the competition will be fierce. In the luxury space alone, the EQC will be up against the Model X and I-Pace, as well as forthcoming electric SUVs from BMW and Audi. Porsche has an all-electric crossover car on the way, too. That’s not to mention all the other automakers playing below the luxury space who have electric SUVs and crossovers in the works, like Ford, Hyundai, and Volkswagen. With most of these companies promising more than 200 miles of range — or at least offering more as an option — Daimler is likely betting that the Mercedes-Benz brand and its reputation for luxury, as well as the company’s claimed history as the “inventor of the automobile,” will help to make up the difference. Update September 4th, 5:00PM ET: Mercedes-Benz USA says that the press materials it sent out to accompany the announcement of the EQC included incorrect information about the SUV’s estimated range. The post has been updated to reflect this. Correction: Mercedes-Benz has previously released all-electric cars.<doc-sep>
Mercedes-Benz unveiled Tuesday the EQC, an all-electric crossover that kicks off the German automaker’s plans to invest more than $12 billion to produce a line of battery-powered models under its new EQ brand. The automaker plans to invest another $1.2 billion in global battery production, Daimler AG Chairman and Mercedes-Benz CEO Dieter Zetsche said. The Mercedes EQC, which is expected to go on sale in the U.S. in 2020, joins a list of luxury all-electric vehicles introduced in recent months that aim to capture market back from Tesla. Porsche has plans to produce the all-electric Taycan at the end of 2019. Audi is unveiling its all-electric e-tron quattro SUV next week. Sales of the Jaguar I-Pace are expected to begin in the U.S. this fall. The Mercedes EQC has a new drive system with compact dual electric drivetrains at each axle, which together generates 402 horsepower and 562 pound-feet of torque. The EQC can travel from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds. The vehicle’s 80 kilowatt-hour battery has an estimated range of around 200 miles, Mercedes-Benz said. The battery has standard DC fast-charging that can reach an 80% charge in 40 minutes. The EQC will come standard with 19-inch wheels, LED headlamps with adaptive high-beam assist, a sliding sunroof, heated, power and memory front seats as well as its new MBUX infotainment system, which will include three years of free map updates. The system has a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch media display. Mercedes-Benz didn’t release a price for the EQC.