Mercedes EQC - Cars Collection

This article was originally produced on 26 June 2020, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

Of course, Mercedes has also entered the electrified world and this is how I experienced their first model EQC.

Even as the electric infrastructure struggles to keep up, the car industry is churning out more and more electrified models these days. Mercedes' first model is called the EQC and is based on their mid-range model: the C-Class. The EQC is a fully electric SUV with room for five people. Under optimal circumstances, you get between 374 and 417 kilometers on one charge.

The main competitors are the Audi e-Tron and the Jaguar I-Pace, with the Jaguar being the smallest and Audi the largest of the three. Jaguar has the longest range with its 507 kilometers on a full charge. However, all the above figures should be taken with a grain of salt as they are difficult to achieve in reality.

When it comes to electric cars, the capacity to swallow charging is also very interesting. If you find a fast charging station, the EQC can be charged with up to 110 kilowatts of power. With such a strong charging capacity, the batteries will be charged from 10 percent up to 80 percent in about 40 minutes.

The EQC's appearance differs from its Mercedes siblings. It is clear that Mercedes wants to convey a new design line for its electrified models. A neat detail is the front light ramp that shines with a line across the front. Something we have seen on many other models stuck in the stern. Even the EQC has such an LED ramp across the rear as well. Unfortunately, however, the star does not shine as it did in the Mercedes TV commercial.

When you step into the EQC, it is easy to recognize yourself if you have driven other cars from Mercedes. A screen extends from the center of the instrument panel to the left side of the steering wheel. The right side of the screen is pressure sensitive and here you control most of the car's systems. You can also control what you see on the screen with a touch pad between the seats.
The air conditioning system's air emissions are quite different from other Mercedes models. You sit comfortably in the seats, the settings of which are controlled in the classic way via controls on the side of the door. They feel timeless in their design and we hope they will live on for quite a while longer.

If you've never driven an electric car before, you'll be impressed by the speed capabilities, even surprised by the incredible acceleration from standstill. 0 to 100 km/h is achieved in 5.1 seconds and compares favourably with some of the brand's performance AMG models. The difference between the feel of an electric car and an internal combustion engine is that the throttle response is so direct in an electric car. As soon as you press the accelerator, the car reacts and pulls away. With an internal combustion engine car, it takes more time to think, it has to be in the right gear and build up power and torque and transmit it through a number of sections of the drivetrain before it reaches the hill. In an electric car, the drivetrain is so incredibly simplified and the reaction time is therefore non-existent in comparison. You can compare the feeling to using the "launch control" found on some sports cars.

As with most other modern cars, the EQC has different driving programs. Similar to other electric cars, you can control how strong the engine brake is. In Auto mode, you don't have to think and the car behaves like any other car. However, if you set position "D" via the steering wheel paddles, you get such a powerful engine brake that you hardly need to use the brakes at all. Then the energy that occurs when the car slows down is returned to the battery. The top speed of the EQC is also limited to 180 kilometers per hour.

In the best of all worlds, the infrastructure had now been developed so that you could charge them anywhere in a couple of minutes. Now, unfortunately, that is not the case. The EQC itself is convincing enough that there is no reason to continue driving fossil fuels. But the charging infrastructure still leaves a lot to be desired. Hopefully we will see a big change in the coming years. Until then, unfortunately, this will be a type of car that few will fully benefit from. However, if you have access to fast charging, the EQC is definitely a car to enjoy.