Mercedes Debuts EQC Electric Crossover

Mercedes-Benz debuted its EQC electric crossover Tuesday in Stockholm.

Daimler AG Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche told reporters at the event that the company has spent more than $12 billion on its electric car push.

“There is no alternative to betting on electric cars, and we’re going all in,” Zetsche said, according to Bloomberg. “It is starting right now.”

The EQC has nice sporty lines, definitely a familiar small Mercedes-Benz SUV look. It’s planned to reach its first customers next year, and pricing is expected to be in the same ballpark as the gas-powered Mercedes GLC and Tesla’s $49,000 Model 3.

Mercedes EQC Specs:



402 horsepower and 564 lb-ft from a pair of asynchronous motors and an 80 kWh li-ion battery

Range: up to 200 miles

187.4″ (L) x 82.5″ (W-including mirrors) x 63.9″ H; 113.1″ wheelbase

Curb weight: N/A

MPGe: N/A

DC fast-charging time, 110 kW, 10-80 percent: 40 minutes (wall-charging time: N/A)

0-60 mph: 4.9 seconds



The car is part of a growing list of challengers to Tesla, including the Porsche Taycan, Audi E-tron and Jaguar I-Pace. Read more about Tesla’s EV competition in 2019 here.

 

[PrGrPa]

Isn't EQC more comparable to 3/Y than to S/X?

I’d say the EQC competes directly in the compact SUV space that the Y will fill (please, let it happen this year) in the EU/U.K. from the one I see regularly it is smaller than the Model S and therefore somewhat smaller than the Model X. Also, it is higher and ‘blockier’ in design than the model 3. Therefore Model Y competitor. Except...

 

[PrGrPa]

He talks some about the quietness. I guess this is an area where we are all a long way from consensus, with different companies taking very different approaches. We’ve got Porsche (as he mentioned) putting in fake sounds, we’ve got Tesla letting some of the natural gear whine come through, and we’ve got Mercedes-Benz trying to suppress all noise. I favor Tesla’s approach, but maybe that’s just because I’ve been driving one for a few years already

I saw a Taycan a few days ago. Riding my bike so heard its noise from outside. Not my thing. Though I remember putting playing cards in the spokes of my BMX way back in the day to make a motorcycle-like noise, so maybe it still appeals to some folks?

I find both our Teslas (Model S and Model 3) are noisier with road noise inside than some past vehicles (Mercedes mostly). I don’t find this noise too loud or intrusive. And it beats the grumble of a Mercedes Diesel engine at any speed.
I do like the motor whine/zzzzzuuuuppp noise in the Teslas.

 

[polyphonic54]

NHTSA has some incredibly specific guidelines for the pedestrian sounds. I don’t know how these will work with several cars in one area without creating cacophony though.