Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Mexico
  • Automotive News China
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
    • Latest news
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • Car Cutaways
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Sales By Market
    • Sales and Retail
    • Latest Launches
    • On The Move
    • Europe may tighten CO2 emissions targets in 'Green Deal'
      gla-main_i.jpg
      Mercedes gives the GLA more room, new safety features
      view gallery
      11 photos
      BMW 1 series
      Renault board wants VW Group's de Meo as CEO, reports say
    • TeslaCrash-MAIN.jpg
      Tesla on autopilot rear-ends parked police car
      1STRIKERS-MAIN_i.jpg
      Automakers are cutting 80,000 jobs globally as EV shift upends industry
      U.S. has not ruled out tariffs on imported cars, commerce chief says
      Germany's auto industry jobs boom comes to a halt
    • Suppliers look to European Commission for leniency on CO2 targets
      hondquality.jpg
      Honda's Hachigo seizes the wheel as quality crisis hits profits
      Suppliers to the new Ford Focus
      adient-main_i.jpg
      Adient will reach breakeven by 2020, CEO says
    • Suppliers to the new Ford Focus
      Suppliers to the new Lamborghini Urus
      Suppliers to the new BMW X2
      Suppliers to the Dacia Duster
    • China's car slump continues as sales plunge in November
      Tesla, Porsche, Audi and VW gain as German sales rise 10% in November
      Italy sales rise 2% in November on self registrations
      Russia will support car sales with $78M loan subsidies, reports say
    • Porsche takes 30,000 deposits for Taycan, report says
      Europe's dealer network must shrink further as online sales increase, report says
      Germany passes Norway for EV sales lead
      China's car slump continues as sales plunge in November
    • BMW makes reversing easy in new 1 series
      ELVA-MAIN_i.jpg
      McLaren harnesses the magic of its limited runs
      Porsche promotes Taycan's Tesla-topping recharge speed
      Kia bullish on newest member of Ceed range
    • VW Group shakes up design leadership
      Sato
      Chief engineer appointed to lead Lexus
      German auto lobby picks utilities expert as new head
      Redesigned Land Rovoer Discovery Sport at Guangzhou aut show.jpg
      Jaguar Land Rover names new China sales chief
  • Auto Shows
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Frankfurt Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Genesis logo web.jpg
      Hyundai's Genesis preps Geneva show appearance
      Rimac readies 1,914-hp EV hypercar for Geneva debut
      Tesla Model S gets wagon makeover
      Lamborghini Aventador replacement will be a hybrid
    • Frankfurt show's visitor plunge could mean its end
      Frankfurt's no-shows, darkened halls signal an industry in flux
      German industry faces an image crisis amid falling sales
      Frankfurt hits and misses
    • Lamborghini concept hints at move to less extreme looks
      view gallery
      8 photos
      VinFast Lux A2.0 sedan
      Vietnam's first automaker now has names for first sedan, SUV
      view gallery
      8 photos
      VinFast Lux SA2.0 SUV
    • VW will launch SOL EV brand in China with subcompact crossover
      view gallery
      9 photos
      BMW's iX3 concept heralds electric expansion
      view gallery
      5 photos
      Audi Q5L
      view gallery
      9 photos
      BMW Concept iX3
    • Pininfarina to expand China team despite market downturn
      Return of the bench seat? Concept EVs show space big enough for sofas
      Lexus plans its first EV for Europe, China push
      Chinese automaker will shun dealers in Europe, U.S. markets
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Commentary
    • Guest columnists
    • volvoxc40bev-driver-side-charging-05.jpg
      How Tesla influenced a key element of Volvo’s first EV
      Alfa Romeo could be Tavares' toughest turnaround
      Formula E races to keep pace with EV technology
      Why Bosch bet big on breakeven chips
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • view gallery
      11 photos
      Renault Captur
      view gallery
      5 photos
      Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB 53
      view gallery
      10 photos
      Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe
      view gallery
      14 photos
      Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe
    • view gallery
      8 photos
      VinFast Lux A2.0 sedan
      view gallery
      8 photos
      VinFast Lux SA2.0 SUV
      view gallery
      9 photos
      Seat Tarraco
      view gallery
      7 photos
      Toyota Corolla station wagon
    • view gallery
      4 photos
      Nio ET Preview
      view gallery
      7 photos
      Infiniti Qs Inspiration concept
      view gallery
      5 photos
      BMW 3-series LWB
      view gallery
      9 photos
      Mini Clubman
  • Maps
    • E-Car & Component Map of Europe
    • Powertrain Map of Europe
    • Assembly Plant Map of Europe
  • Supplements
    • Connected Car
    • Talk From The Top
    • BMW 100
    • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS
    • Automotive News Europe Congress
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    • Meet the winners
  • E-MAGAZINE
    • Read the latest issue
    • Download the app
    • Digital Archives
    • Subscribe
  • More
    • Social Media
    • E-Magazine
    • Contact Us
    • 2019 Media Kit
    • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Latest Launches
June 07, 2019 04:47 AM

Mercedes aim to regain lost ground in EV race with EQC

Christiaan Hetzner
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    To make the EQC stand out Mercedes designers made the headlamps and grille blend into a black-panel surface.

    Daimler is positioning its Mercedes-Benz EQC as an affordable alternative to the larger Tesla Model X and Audi e-tron. Mercedes is aiming the crossover at customers who plan to purchase their first electric vehicle.

    By eliminating expensive features typically offered in the midsize crossover segment such as continuously variable air suspension, engineers were able to reduce the EQC's pre-tax starting price to less than 60,000 euros, allowing it to qualify for government subsidies in countries such as Germany. With taxes in Germany the EQC costs 71,281 euros while in the same market the Model X starts at 85,300 euros and the e-tron at 82,350 euros.

    The EQC, Mercedes' first mass-market EV, comes with a range certified at up to 374 to 417 kilometers under the new WLTP test cycle and the battery's storage can be replenished to 80 percent in 40 minutes using a DC fast-charging station.

    "We expect a large number of EQC buyers, perhaps roughly half, will purchase it as a second car," said Joerg Heinermann, head of sales & marketing for the Mercedes' EV line.

    While project managers hope they can poach Tesla owners, they acknowledge that the main purpose of the EQC was to prevent any further loss of Mercedes customers to rivals with EVs in their showrooms. "Tesla is a generation further with its Model 3," a project engineer conceded.

    Heinermann believes the EQC will be a winner in Europe, particularly in prestige markets such as Switzerland where conversations with dealers suggest that some customers had been waiting for an electric Mercedes before giving up their combustion-powered drivetrains.

    The vehicle is equipped with an 80-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery that weighs 652 kilograms and feeds an induction motor over each axle. Combined, the battery and motors provide total output of 300 kilowatts (equivalent to 402 hp) and 760 newton meters of torque.

    The EQC goes 0 to 100 kph in 5.1 seconds but engineers have limited its top speed to 180 kph to conserve range.

    Particular attention was paid to the vehicle's noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Each electric motor is mounted on two separate sets of rubber bushings to better insulate the passenger cabin: one where the drivetrain connects to its subframe and the other where the subframe connects to the body. Plenty of sound dampening foam and fabrics such as felt have been added, even in the rear wheel arches, smoothing out all spikes in noise frequencies across the bandwidth spectrum from low to high.

    Sturdy yet light aluminum beams along the side sills protect the battery from side impacts while structural reinforcements were made to the car's front and rear. Deformable crumple zones in the battery's frame absorb as much additional energy as possible to ensure the modules themselves remain undamaged in the event of a crash. A small plough under the car near the front axle acts to clear debris away, preventing shocks to the car's underbelly that could also pose safety risks.

    If the EQC is in an accident, the battery automatically shuts down, reversibly or irreversibly depending on severity of the crash. There are also shutdown points where emergency teams can deactivate the high-voltage system manually.

    THE BASICS

    Launch date: Europe (spring-summer); China (late 2019); U.S. (early 2020)
    Base price:  71,281 euros (with tax, Germany)
    Where built: Bremen, Germany; Beijing, China
    Range: 445-471 km (NEDC); 374-417 km (WLTP)
    Consumption: Up to 20.8 kWh per 100 km
    Main rivals: Tesla Model X, Jaguar i-Pace, Audi e-tron
    Comfort: The EQC's heat pump recirculates waste heat from the compressor and battery to help keep the interior warm in cold weather without draining battery reserves and limiting the range.
    Flexibility: The EQC shares elements such as its wheelbase and underpinnings with the fuel-powered GLC. Both crossovers are built on the same assembly line.
    Navigation: The MBUX infotainment system incorporates special features for the EQC, including optimized route planning that takes charging stops into account.
    One-pedal driving: Drivers can select five different recuperation modes to recharge the battery. In its most extreme form, the vehicle's speed can be regulated almost solely using the accelerator.
    Battery: Produced in Mercedes's plant in Kamenz, Germany, the EQC's powerplant is guaranteed for eight years or 160,000 km.
    Dimensions: The EQC has roughly the same footprint as the Jaguar I-Pace.

    AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE MONTHLY MAGAZINE

    This story is from Automotive News Europe's latest monthly magazine. To view the new issue, as well as past issues, click here.

     

     

    Monthly E-Magazine
    View latest issue
    See our archive
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Automotive News Europe Monthly E-Magazine

    Sign up to receive your free link to each monthly issue of Automotive News Europe as soon as it's published.

    GET THE E-MAGAZINE
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584

    Email Us

    ISSN 2643-6590 (print)
    ISSN 2643-6604 (online)

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • 2019 Media Kit
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    Automotive News Europe
    Copyright © 1996-2019. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
      • Latest news
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • Car Cutaways
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Sales By Market
      • Sales and Retail
      • Latest Launches
      • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
      • Geneva Auto Show
      • Frankfurt Auto Show
      • Paris Auto Show
      • Beijing Auto Show
      • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Commentary
      • Guest columnists
    • Photos
      • Photo Galleries
      • Geneva Photo Gallery
      • Beijing Photo Gallery
      • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
      • Paris Photo Gallery
      • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • Maps
      • E-Car & Component Map of Europe
      • Powertrain Map of Europe
      • Assembly Plant Map of Europe
    • Supplements
      • Connected Car
      • Talk From The Top
      • BMW 100
      • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS
      • Automotive News Europe Congress
      • Rising Stars
        • Meet the winners
      • Eurostars
      • Leading Women
    • E-MAGAZINE
      • Read the latest issue
      • Download the app
      • Digital Archives
      • Subscribe
    • More
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • LinkedIn
        • Twitter
      • E-Magazine
      • Contact Us
      • 2019 Media Kit
      • About Us