The Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 was showcased in India at Auto Expo 2020
Mercedes-Benz India has already shared its plans to launch the all-new EQC 400 electric SUV in the country in April 2020. Coming under the German marque’s ‘EQ – Electric Intelligence’ line of electric vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz EQC was also present at Auto Expo 2020 in the Edition 1886 avatar. The moniker was given as a tribute to the Benz Patent-Motorwagen — the world’s first production automobile.
The Mercedes EQC Electric made quite an impact on social media through its latest commercial. Starring the Canadian singer, The Weeknd, the video highlighted the brand’s development as an automotive company with the hit song, Blinding Lights playing in the background. Now, an example of the Mercedes-Benz EQC was spotted on Pune-Mumbai highway without any disguise.
The Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 garners power from a pair of asynchronous electric motors placed on either axle (effectively making the urban SUV an AWD or 4MATIC). Combined, the power unit makes around 408bhp (300kW) and 760Nm of torque. A 0-100km/h acceleration run can be done in just 5.1 seconds while top speed is limited to 180km/h.
The powertrain features an 80kWh Li-ion battery pack that promises a claimed range of 445-471km on a full charge as per NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). Using a standard wall charger, it takes 11 hours to fully charge the battery while a DC fast charger can bring the juice to 80% from empty in about 40 minutes.
It is not news that the Indian automotive industry is at the bottom of the spectrum when it comes to electric vehicles, albeit a positive change is evident. Major OEMs in the affordable segment such as Tata Motors, Mahindra and Hyundai have introduced electric products that are almost on par with their equivalent ICE alternatives.
In the premium segment, an equivalent EV alternative to a well-rounded ICE product costs much higher. On the bright side, the price gap is narrowing with time. Prices for the Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 on the Indian market remain unknown. It would be high, but also interesting to compare with some of the popular names on the market.
Even though Mercedes-Benz has introduced multiple electric vehicles in the past, the EQ range can be considered as a more focused approach to meet the market’s growing demand for premium EVs. Or, give some time to think whether the apparent EV demand is an illusion created by the main players in the field to boost business.
