Mercedes-Benz confirms plans for 'EQ' electric car sub-brand

By Stephen Edelstein October 28, 2016

Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ concept — Image used with permission by copyright holder

When it unveiled the Generation EQ electric SUV concept at the 2016 Paris Motor Show last month, Mercedes-Benz said the concept previewed the first of many upcoming electric cars. Now, the automaker has more details on its electrification plans.

An electric SUV based on the Generation EQ will be built at an existing Mercedes plant in Bremen, Germany, the company announced Thursday. EQ will become a new sub-brand for electric cars, just like BMW’s “i” division. Mercedes aims to have more than 10 all-electric cars in its lineup by 2025.

The Generation EQ concept is an SUV with coupe-like styling and an “electro look” design language that Mercedes said will be used on all of its upcoming electric cars. The concept has a claimed range of 500 kilometers (310 miles), and rides on a new platform designed specifically for electric cars. Mercedes says this platform is flexible enough to be used for everything from SUVs to convertibles.

The Bremen plant that will build Mercedes’ first EQ electric car currently builds 10 different models, including plug-in hybrid versions of the C-Class sedan and GLC-Class SUV. It will also build the GLC F-Cell hydrogen fuel-cell model unveiled earlier this year. Clearly, Bremen has green cars covered.

Batteries for the Mercedes EQ electric SUV will be made by Accumotive, a subsidiary of Mercedes parent Daimler. The company will spend 500 million euros (about $545 million) on a new battery plant to support Mercedes’ ambitious electric-car plans. The plant will also manufacture cells for stationary energy storage battery packs, which will be Mercedes’ answer to Tesla’s Powerwall units.

While Mercedes was eager to discuss where its electric SUV will be built, it was less forthcoming on when. A September Reuters report said parent Daimler will launch six electric cars across multiple brands (it also owns Smart, Maybach, and several commercial vehicle brands) beginning in 2018, so perhaps we’ll see the Mercedes model then.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

Mercedes EV charging hubs are coming to North America by the end of the decade

What a future Mercedes-Benz EV charging hub might look like.

You can't have more electric cars without more charging stations, so Mercedes-Benz is building a global charging network covering North America, China, Europe, and other major markets to support its goal of going all-electric by the end of the decade where market conditions allow.

Announced at CES 2023, the network should be in place by the end of the decade in line with Mercedes' electrification goal. It's a bold move by the automaker, which has mostly relied on third-party charging networks until now.

Cars

5 stunning electric SUVs that prove you don’t need to spend $100K for luxury

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

There’s no denying it — the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ SUV is an incredible car. Sure, the exterior design isn’t for me, and the bulbous nose, while not as bad as on the standard EQS, proves that many carmakers still have no idea what to do with a grille-less design. But sit inside the car and you’re greeted with stunning finishes, beautiful build quality, modern tech, and a super-comfortable ride.

I’ve spent a week testing the EQS 450+ SUV and loved almost everything about it. It has plenty of oomph when you hit the accelerator, and while the suspension is a little mushy, it feels like you’re driving a cloud.

Cars

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV preview: The EV lineup grows again

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.

As Mercedes-Benz has steadily expanded its EQ range of electric cars, the lineup has become a bit like the late stages of a Tetris game. It’s mostly complete, but with a few gaps still left. And the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is the piece that perfectly fits one of them.
Mercedes recently launched two other electric SUVs at opposite ends of the price spectrum. The EQS SUV is positioned as the lineup’s flagship, while the EQB is the entry-level model. The EQE SUV slots between those two in size and, presumably, price. The latter hasn’t been confirmed yet, and likely won’t be until the EQE SUV’s planned March 2023 on-sale date.

Design
As the name says, the EQE SUV is a utility-vehicle version of the EQE sedan, which will likely beat it to showrooms by a few months. Mercedes did the same thing with the EQS, which is available in both SUV and sedan body styles.
With its tall, upright profile, the EQE SUV definitely looks like a proper SUV compared to the low-slung EQE sedan. Park it next to an EQS SUV, though, and you’ll have to get out a measuring tape to spot the differences.
The EQE SUV is 0.6 inch narrower and 1.2 inches lower than the EQS SUV, but the most significant difference is in length. The EQE SUV is 10.3 inches shorter than the EQS SUV, with a 2.1-inch shorter wheelbase. And while the EQS SUV has three-row seating, the EQE SUV has two rows. Based on our experience with the EQS SUV’s third row, that’s not a big loss.
The interior design theme carries over from other Mercedes EQ models, with an expansive sloping dashboard designed to accommodate many screens, and multicolor ambient lighting that should look pretty dramatic at night. However, leatherette upholstery is standard, rather than real leather, which Mercedes is now spinning as a vegan option.