Mercedes-Benz India’s first electric car is the Mercedes EQC

Mercedes-Benz has decided to enter the electric car market of India and the car getting it there is the Mercedes-Benz EQC SUV, according to a report from Times of India. Initially, the company will be importing vehicles but it is interested in plans to assemble electrics here as stated by Mr Martin Schwenk, MD & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India.

Based on the Mercedes-Benz GLC, the EQC is the first model launched under the ‘EQ’ brand and has already been released in USA, Japan, Germany and China. Mercedes-Benz is expected to unveil the car this month in India and launch it in April 2020. The EQC is expected to be priced around Rs. 1 crore as it will be brought in as a CBU.

The EQC features an all-new drive system with a compact electric drivetrain at each axle making the car an all-wheel-drive crossover. The two electric motors combined generate an output of 300 kW and a maximum torque of 765 Nm. The two motors are configured differently with the front programmed for best efficiency in the low to medium load range, while the rear one handles dynamism.

Mercedes-Benz EQC interior view
On a single charge, the lithium-ion battery of the EQC, which consists of 384 cells, offers a range of up to 450 km. With a DC fast charger, EQC can be charged to 80 percent in 40 minutes. The crossover gets five different riding modes – Comfort, Eco, Max Range, Sport and an individually adaptable mode.

Talking about making electric cars in India, Mr Schwenk said that the company likes the idea of local production but needs to learn the market and scale sales volumes. Mercedes-Benz is looking to develop this new segment and will look at the option of local production of the EQC and other electric models after carrying out a detailed analysis.

Also See: 10 Electric Cars to watch out for in India in 2020

Mr Schwenk added that the EQC, being a sporty and innovative car, will help set up the brand image of Mercedes electric cars in India. Mercedes-Benz will be expecting very few takers for the EQC as it plans to open sales in only a few cities. It will continue to concentrate on petrol and diesel cars, which remains its core business.

In related news, Audi India is planning to bring in the e-tron electric SUV while Jaguar has confirmed the launch of the I-Pace in the second half of the year.

Mercedes-Benz EQC Feature video

Source: TimesofIndia.indiatimes.com