Mercedes EQC

EQC Regen Braking

Mercedes though has used thoughtful technology to try to make this black heart just a little bit easier for early adopters so how does that work? You simply select max range from the dynamic select menu and you'll access an intelligent driving program that's designed to preserve battery charge. And if at the same time you use the steering wheel paddles to select the auto recuperation mode Proactive brake energy regeneration will be conducted for you via special eco assist software.

This not only minimizes electrical current expenditure from the powertrain but it draws on GPS data to try to make your use of it more efficient. So, for example, subtle buffers and accelerator pedal travel and foot off accelerator dash symbols will urge you to back off when via nav data and traffic sign recognition the Eco assist system calculates that any more throttle use would merely go to waste.

At the same time a dash diagram will pop up to give you the reason for the intervention for example Junction ahead or gradient ahead it's all clever and it must require gigabytes of processing data but it's also quite likely that you might find all of the well-meaning assistance somewhat annoying if operating range isn't an overriding priority.

In which case, once you get used to your EQC you might like to experiment with various setting combinations for yourself. Dynamic select also offers another efficiency orientated selection Eco as well as comfort and sports options too and there's a dynamic select individual menu that allows you to tailor your own preferred particular drivetrain steering and ESP parameters saving them as an OneTouch choice.

As for the recuperation system if you don't want to leave it in default the auto then you can use the steering wheel paddle on the left to scroll through low medium or high energy harvesting settings badge D, D minus or D minus dash.

The last of these will slow the car substantially when you come off the throttle although not quite as heavily as is the case with some rivals we choose recuperation systems that when they're set to their max can almost bring you to a standstill without touching the brake. Alternatively, bar the right-hand pedal here there's a d-plus setting which reduces recuperation so that the car will coast normally off the throttle in a more combustion engine like fashion.

We've just touched on than we really wouldn't blame you. But the truth is you don't necessarily need to know all of this if you don't want to interface with all the technology it'll all just were away and obtrusively in the background it's part of driving experience that in most ways it's very little different from that of any conventional luxury model.

EQC Handling

In keeping with its nominal positioning as an SUV, the EQC has four-wheel drive although that's rather nominal too it's delivered as a byproduct of having an electrical motor on each axle.

The front one is tuned for the economy and drives the car on its own when the range is a priority the motor of the back meanwhile cuts in when power and speed are needed or of course when there's a need for extra traction/

It does go without saying that this isn't any kind of off-road conveyance but it will manage the old light farm track it'll give you tarmac stability in a snowy snap and it'll ease you out of the odd muddy car part without too much drama.

What this Mercedes won't do though is deliver much to reward the kind of driver who likes a degree of dynamic handling prowess. The rival Jaguar I paced her set a standard in that regard that the EQC I can't really match partly because it's much heavier and partly you kind of sense because Mercedes didn't prioritize this attribute as part of this product development.

Perhaps they were right most potential owners probably won't care very much about the fact that the steering although it is accurate and it is well weighted lacks much feel and about the fact that this car substantial mass is very evident when rapid changes of direction of chord form. There is after all as we mentioned earlier very much provided in compensation when it comes to the rather polished way that the EQC cruise is about in a very Mercedes like fashion.

EQC Stability

Should you need to push on then the torque vector 4matic system delivers the traction and stability that you'll need and that's helped by the battery packs careful placement between the axles which delivers the usual EV low center of gravity.

Should Autobahn motoring be on the agenda though you will find yourself rather frequently having to give up your place in the fast lane thanks to a maximum speed which is limited to just 112 miles?

As with all large luxury SUVs, the highway is where this one is in its element especially if it's been fitted with the optional active distance assist Distronic feature which draws from GPS to live traffic data which enables it to recognize and respond to tailback and slow-moving traffic even before you reach it.

You get this as part of the optional driving assistance package which amongst other things also includes active steering assist. now that does most of the steering for you it's a cruise plus there's also route-based speed adjustment and that once you've programmed in a navigation destination it can automatically adapt your speed to the curves and the roundabouts and the junctions that you'll encounter throughout that journey.

It's all very reassuring and reassurance is after all that you're going to need if you're going to take the plunge into the EV market for the first time in such an expensive segment.

Who better to provide it though than a manufacturer with a history as long as that of the motorcar itself.

EQC Styling

The distinct look simply appears somewhat generic from a distance but up close a more brand-specific design charisma does shine through. Now size-wise the EQC sits between the Mercedes brand's mid-sized GLC and large GL E SUV models. It shares most with the GLC although it's 100 millimeters longer like its main European rivals it can only take two rows of seats.

There was never any question here of seating for 7 the sporty stretched silhouette doesn't allow for it and it confirms the EQC's positioning as an SUV very much from the fashion LED crossover class. Hence the low waistline, the high gloss aluminum framing for the glasshouse, and the huge bicolor light-alloy wheel rims which vary in size between 19 and 21 inches depending on your choice of trim.

Roof rails have been deliberately omitted to preserve the wind-cheating shape. Although attachment points in the roof structure still allow carrier systems to be mounted and the charging flat that's integrated flush with the right rear side.

The front is intended to epitomize the so-called progressive a luxury theme that's supposed to define the EQ sub-brand. Perhaps Gordon bargainers design team thinks it does but the only thing that's striking about the snow section is the large expanse of the black panel surfacing that wraps around the lower part of the grille panel and flows up into these standard multi-beam LED headlamps.

Now that grille panel has seven silver louver strips on the base sports variant but the AMG line derivatives which most customers will buy surround the central star with twin louvers instead.

A neat detail touch is the optical fiber lighting strip that flows across the nose just under the leading edge of the bonnet and connects the torchlight daytime running lights in an almost uninterrupted horizontal light band.

There is also blue headlamp detailing which discreetly confirms this model's membership of the EQ family and AMG line models also get the more aggressive Jet wing style lower bumper and front apron styling. that features simulated side air inlets in the high-gloss black.

At the rear the deep roof spoiler emphasizes the width of the rear window as to these slim multi-section LED tail lamps that stretch right across the tailgate and in both designs and edge light technology echo the light band at the front.

The chrome embellished rear bumper incorporates the registration plate in the manner of Mercedes coupe a to make the three-point in star just above particularly prominent.

As usual of course, what's more, significant is the stuff you can't see. now some of it is very sophisticated principally the 384 cell 80-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery which raised a substantial 652 kilos and sits on the floor between the axles.

And some of it isn't primarily a steel structure and suspension setup lifted directly from the GLC Mercedes SUV model so that this car can be produced alongside that one at the brands german Bremen plant.

A bespoke chassis would have reduced this product weight by a substantial 150 kilos which is why the forthcoming large EQ SUVs that Mercedes plans to build at it's us plant in Tuscaloosa will all feature purpose-built platforms.

So futuristic exterior design and engineering concepts lie in the future what you won't have to wait for though as an early adopting Mercedes EV brand buyer is a futuristically high-tech cabin.

EQC Digital Display

That is delivered right here right now courtesy of the twin widescreen digital displays which characterize all the company's current cars. Appropriately enough the effect is subtly different than it would be in say GLC or a GLE. Lined filled with trimming which is supposed to be reminiscent of the cooling ribs found on high-quality music amplifiers flows from the doors and around the back of the to seamlessly joined 10.25-inch screens.

Speaker grilles on the a-pillars add a touch of class on the plush models and trendy eco-minded materials introduce a cool current feel to the cabin design. Can the dash covering really have been fashioned from recycled wetsuit? Mercedes doesn't claim that but you could almost believe it.

As you'd expect the driving position is a little lower than it would be in a more capable large SUV but it still manages to strike a good balance between elevation and accessibility. The DAR pack that the view through the stitched three-spoke leather steering wheel offers two gauges speedometer on the left with charge status and range and a dial on the right that can be tailored to display either a parameter, a navigation map or a trip computer readout.

EQC Cluster Graphics

Now if you have previously owned a modern Mercedes you'll be familiar with the functionality which allows you to change the instrument cluster graphics. There are the usual three layout options there's white themed classic yellow-tinged sport and progressive which in this case Gaines rose gold coloring. You can configure your display options via a tiny touchpad on the right-hand steering-wheel spoke.

Subtle differences also characterized as central infotainment screen which as usual no Mercedes can be accessed manually either via another tiny touchpad on the left-hand steering-wheel spoke or by a swipe and push lower touchpad down here between the seats. Most of the time you'll find yourself simply using the intuitive hey Mercedes voice control functionality and now this is one of our favorite things about this car.

Conventional voice control systems require certain specific voice commands from their users but this setup língua Tronic natural speech recognition is pretty good at understanding well pretty much anything you ask of it. Not only things like navigation audio and informational functions but also ventilation settings and ambient lighting control.

It's also quite good at predicting your wishes, if for example you regularly phone your mother on your journey home from work on Tuesday afternoons then the screen will flag up her number as a suggestion on this particular day of the week. Or if for instance you regularly switch over to a radio station with news at a certain time then you'll eventually find that the MBU system prompts you to do that.

Plus of course, the hey Mercedes software is completely EQ savvy so you can quiz it on battery status or you can ask it when the nearest charging station is.

This central screen is essentially the same as that which features on other modern Mercedes models is divided into phone nav radio media comfort and info segments plus one for the various apps that you'll be able to access including those for hotel bookings news and weather.

There are some sophisticated graphics in play here especially when it comes to the real-time displays that you'll find in the extra EQ section added for this all-electric model. This is also accessible by a direct selection key in the lower control panel. Click on thE EQ tile and you'll be able to monitor things like charging current departure times and energy flow plus you can pull up her consumption histogram too.

EQC Cabin Fittings

We don't, of course, mean this to be a complete eulogy to Mercedes cabin design certain commands still catch the MBUX system out and it's unacceptable in the car of this price to have to pay extra for apple car play and android auto smartphone mirroring. Plus some of the fixtures and fittings aren't as classy to the touch as they look to the eye particularly these rather plastic air vents.

Now while we're griping let's also tell you that the wide center console eats into the front footwells and that the raked rear window and the swept-back side glass don't help you're over the shoulder visibility. Fortunately, a rearview camera and all-round parking sensors are standardized right across the range.

EQC Visibility

There are no problems with front with visibility though which is much better than it is in say a Jaguar iPace thanks to narrower pillars. What else should we tell you? Well, the seats are supportive and across the range, as you'd expect they feature lumbar support to minimize curvature on the spine on longer trips.

As the cabin storage well there's pretty much everything that you would want the smart glossy cover of the storage area at the bottom of the center stack eases back to reveal twin cupholders a USBC port an optional wireless charging mat. Further back between the seats the twin lidded bin incorporates a further couple of USB C ports together with the converter leads that you'll need for them there.

Bottle holders in the deep door bins and you get what would usually be a spacious glove box complete with the pen clip, although that has been compromised in size by the need to incorporate the fragrance dispenser for the optional energizing package.

EQC Storage

You also get a storage net in the front passenger footwell ticket clips here on these Sun visors and an overhead sunglasses compartment. and there are lovely detailed touches too, for example, the standard pre-entry climate control system should mean that you'll never have to scrape the windows and get into a nice cold car in winter or enter a sweltering cabin in the height of summer.

A sophisticated system with a heat pump and electric heater boosters pre climatized as the interior based around the start time that you program into your cabin screen into your home PC or the provided Mercedes me an app or it simply kicks in for five minutes once you unlock the car.

EQC Head-Up-Display

Thoughtful options also improve your user experience the head-up display, for example, this has a screen size that's big enough to show far more than these kinds of setups usually do and it includes navigation instructions which can be optionally embellished with what Mercedes is calling augmented reality technology.

This is effectively a live camera feed of the road ahead overlaid with house numbers Road names Direction arrows and other useful bits of information that'll help you to find your way.

Another optional feature that we like is the energizing Package which combines music lighting and scent into six selectable programs. Refresh warmth vitality joy well-being and a power nap. All aimed at rejuvenating you at the end of a tiresome day.

And there's also a training option which is aimed at relieving muscle strain on longer trips and there's an intelligent energizing coach feature which recommends individual programs based on the kind of journey that you're on it can even communicate with a SmartWatch or with a fitness tracker should you be wearing one and then it'll automatically select a perfectly suited energizing theme that you can start directly just when you need it.

Rear Cabin Space & Seating

Due to its relatively compact GLC derived underpinnings and EQ C is fractionally shorter than the iPace a Tesla Model X or an Audi E-Tron. Will that put this car at a disadvantage to those key rivals when it comes to rear-seat space?

EQC Legroom

Legroom is merely adequate for this class of car, they're certainly not quite as much room to stretch out as you'd find in those rival models we just mentioned but there's not a huge amount in it and the EQC is more spacious for three across the rear bench than there's a case with that rival Jaguar.

There would be even more room in this regard if this car wasn't compromised by having to have the central transmission tunnel even though there's no central transmission to the house within it. That is, of course, the other disadvantage of saddling an electric vehicle with underpinnings that were originally developed for a combustion engine car.

As for Headroom well that is slightly compromised by the swept-back silhouette and by the floor that's raised to accommodate the battery pack beneath it.

Still, we think that only very lofty folk required to spend very long trips back here will be minded to complain very much and even they have the option of improving things by reclining the seatbacks.

As in all EV's the seat bases don't slide through the usual practical provision is in evidence things like overhead reading lights next to the coat hooks and just below these two silver circular Center vents.

There's a pull-out compartment with twin USB ports and a 12-volt socket as the storage world there are reasonably sized door pockets with bottle holders there are seatback pockets and there's a center armrest here with a storage compartment and twin cupholders that pop out.

EQC Seating

Have I said earlier there's no third seating row option for EQC buyers, the only EV in this class that offers that is the Tesla Model X which might not be too much of an issue if Mercedes were to provide a decently sized boot?

EQC Trunk Storage

The Mercedes 3 pointed star and the tailgate glides up to reveal a 500-liter trunk predictably that is a fraction less than you get in the Audi Jaguar and Tesla models we've been mentioning. But the Mercedes boot is practically shaped it has a wide aperture and it features a low loading lip.

There are deep recesses on either side of the entrance the left-hand one being netted there's a 12-volt socket on the left-hand cargo side wall there are bag hooks on both sides and there are four silver tie-down points one in each corner of the floor.

Unusually for an EVe, you get a bit of underfloor storage space too and the flap to access it is lockable. Lift it and you'll find that there's not enough space to house a spare wheel down here but you could store quite a bit away from prying eyes.

The usual Mercedes fold-out shopping crate resides down here it's an appendage that looks rather flimsy but turns out to be surprisingly useful, here is also a little compartment by which battery attachment points can be accessed.

EQC Rear Seating

The adjustable seat backs we mentioned earlier can be set in a slightly more upright position if it helps to get bulky suitcases in and the rear bench is 40/20/40 split means that the center part of the backrest can be retracted for longer items like skis.

Neat catches are provided on the cargo by sidewalls for when you want to completely flatten the rear bench which then folds are almost flush to the floor to free up 1060 liters of capacity.

EQC Engine Size

This 408 horsepower EQC 400 bound was the only version of this model available at the introduction of this car but you can also ask your dealer about the more affordable lower-powered derivative that the brand promised would appear once this EV had got itself established in the market.

That entry-level price applies to the base EQC sports variant but most customers want to move at least one rung up the trim lever and find $2,600 more for AMG line specs so think in terms of a budget of around 65,000 pounds for that.

If you can't find another $6,000 and stretch up towards the $88,000 mark then your dealer will point you towards the AMG line Premium variant or if you can find around 7,000 pounds over AMG line trim and stretch to a 70 mm then you get yourself this top AMG line Premium Plus derivative.

The reason most potential EQC buyers will be considering this full electric EV in the first place is that they want to be free of fuel stations forever which is all well and good but will a battery-powered car like this fit into your life?

If you're someone who would normally have bought a more conventional GLC or GLE SUV from Mercedes you might well be questioning that.

EQC Mobile App

Anticipating this the brand has developed what it calls its EQ ready app which is there to help motorists to decide whether it makes sense for them to switch to either an electric car or to a hybrid.

This app can record and analyze regular journeys and your everyday mobility behavior in your current car and then compare it with the numerous parameters of electric and hybrid vehicles making it possible to try out electric mobility in a virtual yet quite realistic way.

If that app decides that some sort of electrification would make sense in your next vehicle then, of course, it will point you towards the right Mercedes brand model for you to consider. But of course, if you are a potential buyer in the rapidly expanding luxury BEV battery electric vehicle market you won't want to limit your selections to those that Mercedes can provide.

Now you would be forgiven for not knowing your options from other manufacturers in this segment since so many of the cars in question are either recently announced or just about to be launched.

EQC Range & Battery Sizes

The key differentiating factor between the various contenders is the driving range which we're going to quote to the WLTP or world harmonized lights vehicle test procedure systems standard.

And if the EV range figures that you come across very significantly from the ones that we're just about to give you it could be because they've been sourced using the old and far less accurate NEDC that's the new European driving cycle standard so ask if you're not certain to ensure that apples are always being compared to apples.

As you might expect Mercedes's key European premium brand rivals all offer similarly priced luxury SUV orientated EV products but directly compete with this one and all of them have slightly different ideas as to the level of battery capacity which is necessary with a large premium crossover of this kind.

Now for reference, this EQC has an 80-kilowatt hour battery that's a little more than BMWs ix3 with 70-kilowatt hours but a little less than Jaguars I pace with 90-kilowatt hours and Audi's E-Tron Quattro 55 with ninety-five kilowatt-hours.

From this little group, the Jaguar comes out on top in terms of the all-important WLTP rated operating range it offers 292 miles between charges and that's helped by the fact that it's around 400 kilos lighter than an EQC.

This Mercedes comes in next at 259 miles followed by the ix3 on 249 miles and the E-Tron Quattro 55 which is hobbled by its prodigious weight on 241 miles.

But what if Tesla won Mercedes like Jaguar Audion BMW tends to try to ignore the American company's products when it comes to talking about direct rivals but you shouldn't.

In fact, we'd suggest that if you want a luxury be EV the US brand has three cars you might find difficult to ignore in this segment.

Not only one of them is an SUV and therefore directly comparable to an EQC launched in 2016 the Tesla Model X was the very first large all-electric SUV and it remains a key competitor for this Mercedes even though it's for a slightly larger more expensive car.

With prices that for the volume long-range model exponent start at about eighty-three thousand pounds around twenty thousand pounds more than you'd have to pay for a bass EQC.

That extra cash does get you more operating range a Model X long-range can go up to three hundred and fifteen WLTP rated miles between charges and the Tesla is the only SUV in this class that can be had with seven seats but the hard truth is that its interior quality is significantly below what most Mercedes buyers in this segment would want.

Now we mentioned three competing Tesla options assuming that you're not especially hung up on the idea of having an SUV and we think many potential luxury segment BEV buyers won't be then you'll want to consider the Tesla Model S.

Which although it's the 5-door competes primarily in the luxury saloon segment at the time of this test around $98,000 was required to get you a long-range Model S variant with a substantially better-operating range than this Mercedes has is WLTP rated at 375 miles?

The handling of a Model S simply isn't in the same league as the EQC. Closer in terms of drive dynamics is the American brands model three and that's a saloon and although it's much smaller inside than this Mercedes.

It is significantly cheaper with prices for the base standard range plus version which has a two hundred fifty-eight mile range starting from under $50,000.

A more direct EQC competitor is the model three long-range all-wheel-drive variant though which at the time this test cost just under $63,000 and offered a three hundred and forty-eight-mile driving range.

So that's it for your all-electric options. There are plug-in hybrid models in the luxury large SUV segment EQC money would, for example, get you very well specified plug-in petrol-electric versions of the BMW X5, the Audi Q7, and tache Porsche Cayenne but that's not quite the same thing.

As you said earlier the whole reason many customers will be considering this Mercedes will be because they want to get away from fossil fuel.

If that is the case for you and having considered all the competing BEV segment options that we've just taught you through you then decide that it is an EQ C that you want then you're gonna need to know just how generous Mercedes has been with the standard spec.

EQC Drawbacks

This EQC models GLC derived underpinnings disadvantage when it comes to weight and another drawback of using an older platform which was originally developed for a slightly smaller less expensive car is that it can't be configured to work with the kind of air suspension system that you can have on those rival Jaguar Tesla and Audi models in the segment.

Otherwise, though the spec of this Mercedes is very class-competitive the base sports variant that comes with 19-inch alloy wheels multi-beam LED headlights and previously hinting at the rear for Windows that all round the car feature heat and noise-insulating glass.

Plus you also get front and rear parking sensors and also keyless go comfort keyless entry and that includes a powered easy packed tailgate that can be activated with a wave of your foot beneath the bumper.

EQC Trim

The upholstery on the base model is trimmed with manmade Artico stitched leather offered either in black or in a beige black combination. The front seats are heated with lumbar support and a real interior highlight is the 64 color ambient lighting system now that bathes the cabin with soft soothing shades at night.

Now you also get THERMOTRONIC climate control you get a multi-function leather stitched sports steering wheel you get cruise control with a speed limiter and also a reversing camera.

There's also the usual Mercedes dynamic circuit driving mode system with max range eco comfort and sport settings plus there are five brake energy recuperation options all accessed by steering wheel paddles. Deck or touches include aluminum inlays and a dash-top which is stitched with Artico man-made leather and features rose gold piping.

The real cabin talking point though is the MBUX Mercedes-Benz user experience multimedia infotainment system which is controlled by two 10.25 inch screens one for the instrument cluster and another in the center of the dash.

The MBUX system doesn't give you smartphone mirroring is standard but it does include hard disk navigation 225 wot DAB Mercedes sound system Bluetooth and the live traffic information feature which is free for the first three years of ownership.

Plus there's also the brand's Mercedes voice activation system and you're going to quickly find yourself using that to operate many of the interior features. The MBUX package also incorporates another feature that we like what Mercedes cause car 2x communication.

EQC Cell Phone Support

There is a mobile phone supported the exchange of information system which will see your EQC sending data on driving conditions back to a central hub which then shares it with other Mercedes drivers. Now that will mean that in an almost magical way your EQC will know in advance about things like icy conditions and traffic jams it's clever.

Talking of information technology are like most premium brands Mercedes has developed systems that allow you to monitor many aspects of your vehicle from your smartphone. Every EQC model comes as standard with the Mercedes-me- connect vehicle monitoring package now that works via a free app that can allow you to set charging times and to activate timings for the cars pre-entry climate control system.

Plus as with all larger Mercedes models, it reminds you when a service is due and it can automatically detector and share with you details on your car's wear and tear items.

Besides, the app includes a parked vehicle locator it gives you an OneTouch button for a fast accident and breakdown recovery and it automatically alerts the rescue services in the event of an accident.

It can even track your EQC if it's stolen it tell you if it's left pre-agreed geographical boundary if you lend it out and it can tell you where the vehicle is if you've gone and forgotten where you parked it.

As usual with an EV there's single-speed automatic transmission in this case matched with 4matic four-wheel drive and you get a couple of charging cables a mode to lead for plugging into a conventional socket and a mode 3 cable for use with wall boxes or AC public charging points.

EQC Charging Points

Unfortunately, though there's only one charging flap on a rival Audi E-Tron there are charging ports on both sides of the front of the car so you're not constantly trying to stretch the lead that you need to a single point.

As mentioned earlier almost all EQC bars will be ignoring base sport spec though and deciding instead on one of the three AMG line trim variants all recognizable by the twin-bladed front grille panel design and AMG specific front and rear aprons.

EQC Spec Levels

With a straightforward AMG line model, you get 20-inch wheels and side running boards while inside there's real leather upholstery sport seats carbon fiber trim AMG floor mats and sports pedals.

If you can stretch to AMG line Premium spec then you'll get 21-inch wheels an electric sliding sunroof and a parking package with active parking assist which will automatically steer you in spaces aided by a 360-degree camera system.

Inside AMG line Premium trim entitles you to a nine-channel 590 what 13 speakers Burmaster surround sound system a wireless charging mat and smartphone integration which gives you apple car play and android auto smartphone mirroring.

Plus there's a navigation system embellished with what Mercedes cause augmented reality navigation is essentially a live camera feed of the road ahead overlaid with house numbers road names Direction arrows and other useful bits of information.

The Premium Plus equipment line pack also includes the brand's energizing package which combines music lighting and scent into various selectable programs aimed at rejuvenating you at the end of a tiresome day. The top AMG line Premium Plus variant that we're testing here adds the head-up display and memory settings for the seats.

As the optional equipment well unusually from Mercedes there is not much the main additional thing that you'll have to budget for if you haven't owned an Ev before is the needed home charge war box.

EQC Paintwork

You will almost certainly need to budget extra for your choice of paintwork dash the only standard color is solid polar white otherwise you'll be finding 685 pounds extra for one of the various metallic shades.

They have got brilliant blue metallic if you're happy to spend even more on an exclusive paint finish then the brand offers three special desi no coloreds diamond white or hyacinth red for $1,1000 or if you want to push the boat out then Selena at grey mango costs $2,260 more. A towbar isn't always optional on an EV but it is available.

How Safety Is The Mercedes EQC?

Safety is always a primary consideration for Mercedes. With the EQC as well as introducing the choicest elements of its camera-driven safety and autonomous driving technology the brand has also tried to redefine the passive safety standards that can be expected from a luxury car in the EV segment.

Now here especially developed subframe surrounds the drive components upfront while the battery gets its protective shield and is surrounded by a particularly robust frame with an integral crash structure.

After an impact, the front side windows will be lowered the central locking deactivated the steering column raised and the interior lighting will be illuminated to help rescuers enter and passengers escape.

The high voltage system can be shut down automatically in a crash and it can be deactivated manually by emergency teams via designated shutdown points. Each Mercedes model these days has it's called a rescue datasheet now that tells emergency workers how best to cut you out of the passenger cell at a crash site.

Stickers on the charging flat and the b-pillar have QR codes that can be scanned for direct emergency access to those sheets.

In short what we have here is the fundamentally safe car, even before the brand's camera and radar driven technology is added into it. so let's give you some highlights from that roster for this EQC.

EQC Braking Assist

We'll start with active braking assist which warns the driver of an impending collision and which will break this Mercedes automatically if there's no response. Testing has indicated that this setup will eradicate 20% of nose-to-tail accidents and it will decrease their severity in a further 25% of cases.

Active lane departure warning that is also standard and that's there to warn you if you've drifted out of your lane before applying subtle steering assistance to ease your EQC back to where it ought to be. There's also Blind Spot Assist which is there to warn you if you're just about to pull out when there's a vehicle in your blind spot.

All variants get attention assist which will monitor your driving reactions for drowsiness and the pre safe anticipatory safety program which will tighten the seat belts close the windows and even adjust the seats in a fraction of a second if the stability system deems an accident is inevitable.

There is also an active bonnet to protect pedestrians and the usual twin front side and curtain airbags plus there's a knee bag for the driver. As you'd expect tire pressure monitoring and all the usual electronic aids for traction braking and stability control are included too. And traffic sign assist speed sign recognition is built into the widescreen cockpit displays two.

Adaptive brake lights flash in emergency stops to warn following motorists and an emergency call system alerts the rescue services with your exact GPS location if the airbags go off in an accident.

EQC Driver Assist

If you want extra safety stuff you'll have to pay Mercedes around 7,200 pounds more for the optional driving assistance package which also includes some of the brand's semi-autonomous driving technology.

To experience this you'll need to be on a multi-lane highway and you will have to have activated two of the driving assistance package elements active distance assist Distronic and active steering assist.

The Distronic feature that's super-advanced adaptive cruise control which automatically regulates your distance to the car in front and can if necessary remotely slows the car with up to 50 percent of stopping power.

Active steering assists that keep you in the center of your designated lane and it will if needed apply subtle steering correction to ease you back to where you ought to be.

If you're trying the autonomous driving capability you'll also want to experience another neat feature that's part of this optional pack the clever active lane change assist system.

On a highway with the active distance assisted Distronic cruise control and active steering assist operating the car will overtake by itself, just hold the indicator stalk for a couple of seconds and it will pull out to pass the slower vehicle and then slot itself back into the lane as soon as it's safe to do that.

The active distance assisted Distronic package also includes what Mercedes cause route-based speed adaptation that uses navigation data to automatically adapt your speed before curves roundabouts junctions and toll roads plus it incorporates the useful end of tailback function too.

This can also recognize tailbacks before you're aware of them reducing your speed before you even know you need to brake. Once in the tailback then the EQC will position itself off-center in its lane to leave access space for the emergency services and as you creep along stops of up to 30 seconds are possible within which the car will automatically move off and follow the traffic ahead.

Once the tower back dissolves the EQC will accelerate back up to the speed that you previously preset into the active distance assist Distronic cruise control.

There's more in the driving assistance package too. Evasive steering assist scans the road ahead for pedestrians and it supports you in making sudden steering maneuvers to avoid them a pedestrian warning function specifically alerts you to people who might be just about to step out in front of you on pedestrian crossings.

Pedestrians are also targeted by an upgraded active braking assist system which is additionally embellished to incorporate cornering and cross-traffic functions.

A pre safe Plus feature that helps specifically with vehicles running into the back of you if necessary it locks the brakes on a standstill to prevent your car from being pushed further into danger.

There's active Blind Spot Assist which not only warns you if you're just about to dangerously pull out in front of another vehicle but it applies like steering torque to correct the maneuver.

There is also the reassurance of active emergency stop assist which cuts in automatically should you be suddenly taken ill at the wheel for example with a heart attack or with a seizure.

In such a nightmare scenario this feature will allow the car to seamlessly take over initiating emergency braking and activating the hazard flashers.

EQC Charging Infrastructure

One of the biggest aggravations in running a fully electric car can often line not in range anxiety but in dealing with the public charging infrastructure that you'll have to master to be able to properly operate the EV model that you've chosen.

A myriad of energy companies now proliferates across the country which means that even once you've found a charging point you might not necessarily have an account that will enable you to use it.

Importantly Mercedes has sought to simplify this whole process for its EQ model customers. It equips them with a Mercedes me charge account which aims to offer access to around 80% of the energy providers operating in this market that is extremely useful although, for the time being, we continue to think that Tesla's network of supercharging stations still provides a more convenient solution for EV users.

EQC Charging Speed

This EQC can't charge itself as fast as a Tesla or as quickly as a directly competing Audi E-Tron come to that's because it has an onboard charger rated at just 7.4 kilowatts. To keep some class perspective the on-board charging in an Audi E-Tron Quattro 55 is rated at 11 kilowatts while that and the Tesla Model X is rated up at 22 kilowatts.

As a result, this Mercedes unlike those two rival models can't be plugged into an ultra-rapid 150-kilowatt charging station but there aren't many of those about anyway.

And at the kind of rapid 110 kilowatts charging point that you're more likely to find Mercedes does claim respectable ten percent to 80 percent recharge time of 40 minutes.

That's the kind of charging station that you'll find in the Ionity network Network which Mercedes has partnered with shell Ford BMW and the VW Group to establish across Europe. a year's access to which is included in this car's purchase price.

The four hundred volts 16 amp seven-kilowatt wall box that you'll need to get fitted in your garage isn't standard of course but once you've established an overnight charging regime you'll find that it'll replenish your EQC battery from 10 to 100 percent in 11 hours and 25 minutes.

If it's necessary to plug it into a conventional household AC 230 volt 13 amp outlet then recharging will take in yawning 40 hours. As usual with an EV CCS to connect a cable and a type 2 charging cable is standard.

That overnight wall box charging figure is probably the most significant one. To give it some perspective it's 2 hours shorter than you need for a Jaguar iPace and it's 3 hours shorter than they will be required for the Audi E-Tron Quattro 55.

But that is because Mercedes has chosen to use a smaller battery for this car than you'll find on those two direct rivals. It's the 384 Cell Lithium-ion unit rated at 80-kilowatt hours that's for the iPace is 90 kWh while the one in the E-Tron 55 is 95-kilowatt hours.

You'd expect the inevitable drawback of that approach to be a reduction in operating range and sure enough, this EQC 259 mile WLTP rated figure lags behind that of the iPace which is rated at 292 miles and is even further behind the class leader in this regard Tesla Model X long range which is rated up at 315 miles.

It is though at least better than the official WLTP reading delivered by Audi's E-Tron Quattro 55 which is restricted to 241 miles and thanks to that's thanks to that car rather prodigious weight. The other key class contender BMW's IX 3 goes 249 miles. Although that's because the battery is just 70 kilowatt-hours in size.

In the future, Mercedes will produce EQC models offering greater range capability than this. This EQC is somewhat hobbled in that regard by its need to utilize a conventional and rather weighty steel chassis from the brands GLC SUV. Without which its quoted 2490 five curb weight would be reduced by around 150 kilos.

As usual with electric cars, there's an app a version of the Mercedes-me- application which allows you to set charging times using your smartphone.

At the time of our test, there were 19 thousand charge points at over 6,500 locations across the UK and over forty-five thousand across Europe. Websites like zap maps are good for helping you find the nearest one.

Or you can use the MBX infotainment systems integrated route planner to organize your journey between charge stations bear in mind that the cost of charging publicly will be a little higher than your pay at home.

With all, we've said about potential charging difficulties we may be painting an unnecessarily bleak picture. After all, it's pretty unlikely that a typical EQC owner will be running this model as an only car and we're perfectly aware that the average person's daily round-trip commute is about 1/10 of the operating range of this Mercedes.

That range will as ever on an EV be heavily influenced by things like extreme temperatures by gradients and also by the amount of weight that's being carried around but of course, the major contributing factor will be driving style. Hence the way that this Mercedes defaults into its most efficient drive and brake recuperation modes whenever it can.

There's a selectable ECO dynamic select driving mode which optimizes the efficiency of the powertrain. But if you're starting to worry about your remaining battery range then you want to go further and choose instead the more extreme max range setting which is particularly effective when it's combined with these cars default the auto brake recuperation mode.

With both of these modes working together a more proactive energy optimization regime does come into play and that's courtesy of this EQC's special eco assist software. This uses onboard cameras and GPS data to try to provide subtle guidance in making your use of power in this car more efficient.

Specifically haptic feedback from the accelerator and flashing dash symbols which urge you to back off when via nav data and traffic sign recognition the Eco assist system calculates that any more throttle use would merely go to waste.

If you don't completely trust the auto electronics' in play here then you can also take over manual control of the brake recuperation process adding in extra energy regeneration by pulling on the left-hand steering-wheel pedal and scrolling through it's D D-minus or D-minus-minus low medium or high harvesting options.

When the whole setup is working to its maximum it does make a big difference reclaiming spent energy as you cruise slow or stop. When the regeneration system is fully active and you take your foot off the accelerator the electric motors work in Reverse and they become generators of electricity to recharge the battery.

In fact on a hilly road with regeneration set to the max, it's possible to gain as much as 70 percent of the energy used going uphill through regenerative braking on the way down.

It's all rather clever. Once we mastered all of this we found that a regular operating range of comfortably over 200 miles was frequently possible between charges. Maybe a little bit less than that in really cold weather though.

EQC Graphic Dashboard Display

As usual with an EV there are plenty of graphical dashboard displays to assist your efforts towards efficiency. The instrument cluster here has a range display as part of the left-hand speedometer and a selectable power meter in its right-hand dial space. There's also a specific EQ menu on the central infotainment screen with five main sections.

Charging options that will allow you to search for charging stations and set departure times then there's consumption now that will graphically show you the current and historical state of electrical consumption and brake recuperation.

Energy flows well that provides an interactive real-time diagram showing what is currently being powered by what. A vehicle that shows the proportion of braking and throttle that you're using as well as things like steering and gradient angles and finally there's an interactive owner's manual, that's so you can quickly brief yourself on any of the vehicle systems that you don't quite understand.

As for ownership peace of mind, you're limited to the usual unremarkable three years 60,000 mile Mercedes warranty they can extend this to five years at extra cost but you really shouldn't have to.

EQC Maintenance

Maintenance is more straightforward than it would be for a combustion engine model an electric vehicle does, after all, have 20% fewer moving parts there's no fuel tank there's no exhaust system and no internal combustion engine.

You wouldn't think that though to look at the service intervals that are needed by this car an annual checkup is required and maintenance work will be needed every fifteen thousand six hundred and twenty-five miles.

To give you some class perspective a rival Jaguar iPace needs a garage visit every 21000 miles with an Audi E-Tron is every 30,000 miles. Mercedes does need to look at this.

Fixed price servicing is available across the range and most buyers opt for the Mercedes service care plan which could cost you as little as about $35 a month based on a four-year deal.

This covers the cost of all recommended service items including brake fluid air filters and screen wash. Via a Mercedes me-connect services package this car can also offer the remote self-diagnostic capability and that enables your EQC to monitor wear and tear items and alert your local dealer to let you know if something needs seeing to.

EQC Residual Value

As for residual values well the class standard amongst premium rivals in this segment tends to be in the sixty to sixty-five percent bracket after three years and 60,000 miles of use and that's a showing the EQC should comfortably match. As a result, this Mercedes should be reasonably cost-effective to lease for a company or private drivers.

Is The EQC Environmentally Friendly?

When it comes to green driving Mercedes has done its best. The EQC isn't built in the kind of bespoke factory with 100% ecologically generated electricity that assembles the rival Audi E-Tron but it's Bremen manufacturing plant aims to be carbon neutral by 2022.

That won't nearly be enough to satisfy some in the green Lobby who get very angry about the whole pure electric car zero emissions ethos. They reckon and ignore the wheel dash well demands of supplying the electricity that powers cars of this kind.

We would respond by pointing out to these people that they used to completely overlook the fact that co2 figures for conventional cars fail to take into account the logistical cost of getting the fuel to the pump.

Still, if you are one of those enviro conscious folk will tell you using a welter wheel calculation based on typical use of the energy grid taking an average grid co2 contribution of 367 grams per kilowatt.

The burden of filling your batteries in this car will result in a theoretical 17.4 g/km of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. For reference, the equivalent figure for the rival Audi E-Tron Quattro 55 is 87.3 grams per kilometer.

This Mercedes model showing is certainly good but it is still some way from being completely green. Which is also a comment you could apply to electric vehicle engineering as a whole.

If you see the EV solution as the lesser of two evils and your choice of a battery power model has to be from a luxury segment then Mercedes hopes that you'll be interested in what's on offer.

It's fortunate for Mercedes that its premium brand rivals have been equally tardy about joining the EV revolution. Can they provide a better large electrically powered luxury SUV than this one? But after trying an EQC you might decide not.

It might not be the most boldly innovative choice like a Jaguar iPace or a Tesla Model X but in some ways, it's a more appealing package, after all, you get a nicer cabin than the Jag and it offers better build quality than the Tesla. And both of the other two key contenders in this segment to the BMW IX 3 and the Audi E-Tron offer a shorter potential operating range.

So the EQC looks like a very complete package. It doesn't have the handling prowess of an iPace or the street side wow factor of our Model X but you might think this mark to be an arguably more complete product than both those two rivals and we prefer it over all its competitors when it comes to issues like refinement media connectivity and drivers technology.

Other issues well the looks are a bit derivative and the decision to stick with an older tech weightier chassis for this car is the major contributing factor to the way that it trails both the iPace and the Model X in terms of overall operating range.

Might you forgive the EQC these failings and choose it as an alternative not only to its EV rivals but also to that combustion-engined a large luxury SUV you'd probably otherwise have been considering? Well, we can see why you'd be tempted to.

The transition into EV motoring is as painless and pleasurable as you'd think it possible to be. All packaged up with the kind of elegance and progressive technology but Mercedes loyalists will find it hard to resist.

Saving the planet isn't really on the agenda here unlike fuel cell technology the concept of electrification is fundamentally flawed in that regard but an EQ C can claim to have the environmental impact a car of this kind would normally have which is no mean feat.

Rivals claim the same of course but this model has the added advantage of being a Mercedes first and foremost and for a certain kind of buyer that difference is likely to be decisive you.