EQC, Here is the Mercedes-Benz electric SUV

Mercedes-Benz EQC is the first vehicle of the new EQ brand of the German brand dedicated to electric propulsion. ” It’s the Mercedes of electric vehicles “, said Group CEO Dieter Zetsche during the official presentation event in Stockholm.

The vehicle had been anticipated with a series of ” teasers ” that suggested futuristic forms quite far from the brand’s tradition. Instead, the final vehicle looks a lot like the past Mercedes, at least aesthetically. The front is the most curious, with a very large fake grille with an oversized Mercedes-Benz logo.

The propulsion of Mercedes-Benz EQC is entrusted to two asynchronous electric motors with a total capacity of 300 kW (408 hp). The vehicle most reach a top speed of 180 km/h (111 mph) and an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.1 seconds. According to the data sheet, EQC is equipped with a liquid-cooled on-board loader with a capacity of 7.4 kW and, which can store a maximum of 110 kW through a special charging station.

The heart of the Mercedes-Benz EQC fuel system consists of a 650 kW battery pack with a capacity of 80 kWh. EQC uses ” the latest generation of lithium-ion batteries, which power both the electric motors used by the vehicle “, Mercedes-Benz says.

The battery consists of 384 cells and is located on the bottom of the vehicle. It is characterized by a maximum voltage of 408V and a nominal capacity of 210Ah. The total autonomy declared by Mercedes-Benz is 450 kilometers according to the NEDC standard: it is, as always, very relevant indications, depending on how the vehicle is driven. Here is an illustration that gives an idea of ​​how a such battery is made up.

The vehicle can be set to different driving modes: some favor performance, others autonomy. It goes from Comfort, which is the default setting that is a good middle ground, to Eco and Max Range, which promote autonomy, up to Sport, which instead optimizes speed performance. There is also the Individual driving program, which allows you to individually configure each parameter.

Mercedes-Benz also provides a multitude of regenerative braking options to the most extreme ” single-pedal ” setting already available in other electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf. This system transforms the accelerator into an electronic pedal, in the sense that the accelerator continues to be pressed to advance, while to slow it is sufficient to raise it slightly.

The on-board infotainment and navigation system has also been redesigned specifically for EQ models to take account of new aspects of the electrical world. For example, among other things, the navigator will plan routes taking into account the charging stations and the charge status of the battery pack.

Daimler is collaborating with several other car manufacturers and other companies involved in the sector to prepare the Ionity charging network in various territories in Europe. According to estimates, the Ionity network will be mostly complete when the new EQC reaches the dealerships, or in the next year.

Mercedes-Benz said that the production of new electric vehicles will be integrated into existing production lines for vehicles powered by fossil fuels. Six factories controlled by the group are already qualified to produce electric vehicles, and the first to assemble the EQC will be that of Bremen, Germany, where the Class C and the GLC series vehicles are already set up. A big contribution will be given by the Chinese plants of Mercedes-Benz, where production will start later than Germany.

There are still no details on prices, but Mercedes-Benz will have to position itself under the price range of Jaguar I-Pace, which starts from 80 thousand euros, and Tesla Model X, which starts at over 90 thousand euros. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz is not the only German car manufacturer announcing a new electric product this month: BMW and Audi have done so, which has led the press of the stars and stripes sector to talk about ” Tesla killers “.