Page 25 - ElectriCar Magazine

MSRP: $75,000
Motor: 402 hp, 160kwh
Battery Capacity: 80kwh LithiumIon Range: 293 miles
Curb Weight: 3,375
the biggest talking point of any new electric car. Yet it won’t be the key reason to buy a 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC when it arrives in the US next year.
Mercedes is focusing on what it does best: making cars that genuinely feel more premium than everything else in the class. Oh, sure, the EQC will still be plenty competitive in
terms of its power and range. But what sets it apart from the Jaguars and Teslas of the world is just how lovely it feels from behind the wheel.
The Audi eTron, Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X, the Mercedes EQC is
a curvaceous SUV that straddles the line between compact and midsize proportions. It rides on the same 113.1- inch wheelbase as the compact GLC- Class crossover, but it’s a little longer overall, and doesn’t stand quite as tall.
For better or worse, the EQC doesn’t immediately stand out as a brand-
new or electrified Mercedes-Benz offering. Sure, the fascia is a bit more stylized than the company’s other models, and tasteful blue accents in the headlamp housings are a subtle nod to this car’s electrified guts. But,
if you showed a picture of the EQC and said, “This is the next-generation GLC,” you are probably right.
The EQC wears Mercedes’ AMG Line exterior, which adds a unique grille and a more heavily sculpted lower fascia. In this guise, it looks
even less like an EV, and to my eyes, this treatment is the most appealing.
If you’re the sort of person who wants an electric vehicle because of the statement it makes on the road, the EQC might not be for you. Personally, I’m glad Mercedes doesn’t need to rely on weird styling or gimmicky doors to get its electric message across. But I will say I’m not exactly thrilled that an illuminated version of the company’s three-pointed star badge will be standard on every US-spec EQC.
Inside, you’ll see a similar exercise in restraint; the EQC’s cabin is almost too familiar. The center console seems to have been ripped right out of the GLC300, with a large flip-up panel
in the middle that hides a pair of cup
holders. I love the rose-gold accents on the vents, Mercedes designers say they’re supposed to mimic the copper color of the wires found in the battery system and the stylized bits of brushed metal on the doors and behind the infotainment screen are really quite beautiful. But for better
or worse, no part of the EQC’s cabin looks or feels new or innovative.
On the other hand, its interior boasts the same superb quality
you’d expect from an SUV with a three-pointed star on the hood. Every surface feels even better than it looks, and the quilted leather seats are equal parts cushy and supportive. None of the EQC’s aforementioned competitors offer an interior this plush.
Four average-size adults can stretch out in relative comfort, and
the cargo hold is large enough to accommodate all of their carry-on suitcases and backpacks. Final US-spec cargo dimensions are still to-be-determined, but given the EQC isn’t too far off the GLC, you can safely use that as a point of reference.
The EQC’s in-car tech is headlined by Mercedes’ MBUX multimedia system, set up on a pair of 10.2-
inch screens atop the dash. MBUX isthesamehereasitisinanyof
the company’s latest models, with a couple of EQC specific features built in, including screens that show your energy use and range, as
well as navigation data for nearby charging stations. Speaking of navigation, it comes standard on every EQC, as do Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Mercedes lets you control MBUX in myriad ways. You can touch the center screen, or use the thumbpads on the steering wheel or the touchpad on the center console. Of course, you can also just talk to the AI assistant, saying, “Hey, Mercedes” to wake it up. I still find the AI a little too eager to chime in, asking, “How can I help you?” when
I only mention the word “Mercedes” midsentence in conversation. But I do like that I can just say, “Hey, Mercedes, where’s the closest charging station?”
Mercedes EQC 400 continued on page 74 23
the battery is very low. Charging times on a 240volt, 32amp wall- mounted charger takes 10 hours to go from 10 to 100 percent charge.
The company estimates a 0-to-60- mph time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 112 mph. Mercedes estimates the battery range to be over 250 miles.
The EQC has an intelligent assist function that combines travel data from your route, speed limits, and distance from vehicles ahead.
The system can train the driver to bolster efficiency by maximizing coasting. For example, when in the economy-focused driving mode, the accelerator pedal will vibrate when the driver can coast, as is the case with Mercedes’ existing Plug-In Hybrids.
The EQC has a broad roster of advanced safety and driver-assist systems. The EQC includes automatic emergency braking, with cyclist and pedestrian detection and blind spot warning. The system will also look for approaching cars and bikes when the EQC is stopped. It will alert the driver if it detects something approaching.
Overall driving range is perhaps
JUNE 2020