INQUISITR.COM / Science & Tech

Mercedes Unveils Electric SUV To Rival Tesla

By Lea van der Merwe
Published on: 11:23 PST, Sep 4, 2018

The German car company has unveiled their own electric SUV, the Mercedes-Benz EQC, in an effort to combat the massive strides American rival Tesla has been making in terms of eco-friendly cars in the past few years.

The EQC is the first fully electric car from Mercedes, and is touted to be released in 2020.

The car boasts two electric motors at the front- and rear-axles, which give the car a combined 402 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque. The motors have been configured differently, with the front aimed more at efficient driving while the rear is for “sportiness.”

According to Jalopnik, the vehicle will hit a top speed of 112 mph, limited by the electric engine. It should accelerate from zero to 60 withing 4.9 seconds.

The interior of the car has been designed for a peaceful quiet, with the power packs insulated at two points to stifle any noise.

Despite these promising specs, buyers may have one concern: the range of the car. Mercedes estimates the EQC could reach distances of “up to 200 miles,” which isn’t quite competitive with Tesla’s 295 mile range. It charges through a water-cooled onboard charger with a 7.4-kW capacity. This means that it can either be fast charged at home or charged at public charging stations where available.

While the car will be fitted with the familiar MBUX system and its large screen, it will now feature more electric-centric information for the driver, including battery remaining and the different driving modes.

The driver assistance package in the car will also allow for predictive speed adjustment when approaching traffic.

Electric batteries are built into the car’s floor, where they are “surrounded by a stable frame, designed to absorb impact.” A guard at the front of the battery will protect it from any debris that might be thrown back by the vehicle’s front tires.

Mercedes unveiled their new pride and joy at a convention in Stockholm, Sweden, where Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche presented the car as “the first of a line of electric vehicles as part of the Mercedes EQ brand.” He hopes that by 2025, electric cars will make up as many as 25 percent of the cars driving out of Mercedes showrooms.

Zetsche did not offer up the possible price tag that will accompany this new innovation in the Mercedes-Benz family.

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