Detour through the desert.
The Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC, to use its full name, has come to America. No, the all-electric SUV isn’t already appearing in showrooms on our shores — that’s only set to happen in 2020, at least six months after it’s unleashed in Europe. What it is doing is drumming up publicity, this time at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Fortunately for some members of the media (look for our write up soon), the good folks at the German automaker decided to allow ride alongs in some very picturesque desert areas outside Sin City and this video (above) is the first fruit of that expedition.
Published on the What’s Inside? Family YouTube channel, the footage features an awesome opening sequence — seriously better than any number of actual commercials we’ve seen — before getting down to business and heading out on the highway. With Mercedes engineer Bastian Schult behind the wheel, our host brings us on his ride-along and fills us in on a few details about the car.
We start off learning about the various regen levels. Apparently, the EQC features four different regenerative braking modes. One, called “sailing,” basically removes regen, allowing the vehicle better coasting abilities. This is most handy for freeway driving. The next level gives you a light amount of regen. This is meant to mimic gas-powered vehicles with automatic transmissions. The third level will probably be the most popular for most EV drivers. Called “one pedal,” it allows you to drive using the accelerator pedal almost exclusively. Push down to go, let off to stop.
Schult demonstrates its effectiveness by stopping the vehicle using only the accelerator. Or “un-using” it, as the case may be. Of course, for quick stops brakes will still need to be applied, but the setup appears quite effective and owners may see their brake pads last a long, long time.
The fourth regen setting is pretty interesting. It’s called “auto” and, just like it sounds, it automatically adjusts the amount of regen being produced according to conditions. Among other things, the car uses map data to take hill descents or upcoming intersections into consideration. Sounds like something we’d love to check out and see how “smart” this car really is.
Sport mode also gets a tryout and the Mercedes makes good use of its 402 horsepower to take off in a similar fashion to a Tesla Model X 100D. The official 0-to-60 miles-per-hour digits are 4.9 seconds, which is a pretty great number for a vehicle of this size. Its launching ability is said to also be quite effective once underway as well, which should help with traffic merging.
Back when the Mercedes EQC first debuted, there was some confusion as to its official range. While the communications department is still using the overly-optimistic NEDC figure of 279 miles, Schult discusses a recent California road trip that saw the car indicate something closer to 230 or so miles. This puts it in the same neighborhood as its competitors from Jaguar and Audi.
Overall, it’s a great video and worth the six-minute time investment. It’s interesting to see the ginormous screen the vehicle uses as its primary display. It appears a little better integrated than the original concept vehicle, though we suspect it may still take a bit of getting used to. In any case, if you haven’t already, scroll up and hit play. And, enjoy!
Stuttgart/Las Vegas – At CES 2019 in Las Vegas the first Mercedes-Benz vehicle from the EQ brand is celebrating its U.S. premiere. The EQC symbolizes the beginning of a new mobility era at Daimler. With its seamless, clear design and color highlights typical of the brand, it is a pioneer for an avant-garde electric look while representing the design idiom of Progressive Luxury. With respect to quality, safety and comfort the EQC is the Mercedes-Benz among electric vehicles, and highly convincing in the sum of its attributes. These elements are accompanied by dynamic performance, thanks to two electric motors at the front and rear axles with a combined output of 402 hp. Thanks to an ingenious operation strategy, the EQC has a preliminary estimated range of 450 kilometers (279 miles) according to the European cycle NEDC. EQ also offers comprehensive services with Mercedes me connect, which makes electric mobility convenient and suitable for everyday driving. The EQC will celebrate its U.S. Premiere at CES in Las Vegas in January and will go on sale in the U.S. in 2020.
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