Mercedes EQC Electric SUV ARRIVES to fight the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron

Mercedes EQC Electric SUV arrives

The Mercedes EQC Electric SUV has been revealed today as Mercedes-Benz set out to challenge not just Tesla, but Jaguar’s I-Pace and Audi’s e-tron.

There has been no doubt the Mercedes EQC has been on the way for a while, what with ‘official’ spy shots and undisguised photos of the EQC’s interior rolled out as Mercedes take aim at Tesla and get reay to take on Jaguar’s I-Pace and Audi’s soon to come e-tron too. But now the Mercedes EQC is officially revealed.

There aren’t too many surprises on offer after Mercedes campaign to get the EQC in the car news recently, but it is a big deal because this is the start of a range of Mercedes EQ electric cars which will arrive in the coming years.

Looking like you’d expect a production take on the EQ SUV Concept to look, the concept’s design is toned down and, if you didn’t know better – or haven’t looked really closely – the EQC could just be another Mercedes SUV. Like the GLC.

Sitting on a bespoke platform for EQ models, the EQC is a bit longer than an I-Pace (but has a shorter wheelbase), with a grille at the front (no Tesla ‘No Grille’ EV for MB) which is different to most MBs, a profile which is familiar Mercedes SUV and a back end which could belong to almost any modern SUV. It clearly aims not to offend Mercedes loyal buyers.

Inside, as we’ve already seen, is mainstream Mercedes (close in looks to the new A-Class) with digital cluster and infotainment rolling in to one long screen, with EV Eco Nav for getting where you’re going and finding chargers.

Under the skin sits a pair of electric motors – and ‘Eco’ one at the front and a ‘Performance’ one at the back, with up to 402bhp on offer which is said to be good for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and a top speed on 112mph (limited so the battery last longer than 10 minutes – no Autobahn posing for the EQC).

The battery pack sits low in the EQC – and accounts for a quarter of its weight – and stores 80kWh, enough, say Mercedes, for an almost 300 mile range. But that’ll be 200 miles in the real world.

Despite the hype, it doesn’t seem likely the EQC will arrive in customer hands for a year or more – and maybe in to 2020 – so if you’re wanting a Premium EV SUV any time soon you you’ll need to look elsewhere.