Mercedes-Benz EQC

What Mercedes showed in 2018

Mercedes previewed its electric SUV as the Generation EQ concept at the 2016 Paris show. The production car followed two years later: the EQC was presented in Stockholm on 4 September 2018 and appeared at the Paris Motor Show a month later. The old version of this page, written in October 2018, reported the first photos, an expected price of about €70,000 and a production start in mid-2019. Those forecasts turned out close to what happened.

The EQC uses the GLC as its base. It shares the GLC's 2,873 mm wheelbase and much of its structure, with the battery in the floor and an electric motor on each axle. Internally it is called N293.

Mercedes-Benz EQC at a glance

Motors, battery and performance

Both motors are asynchronous units, one on each axle, so every EQC has all-wheel drive. Together they give the EQC 400 its 300 kW (408 PS) and 760 Nm. A cheaper EQC 350 4MATIC with 210 kW and 590 Nm was sold from June 2020, but only in Asian markets.

The battery was assembled by Deutsche Accumotive in Kamenz, Germany. It has 384 pouch cells and weighs about 650 kg, around a quarter of the car's 2,425 kg kerb weight by our calculation. Of its 80 kWh nominal capacity, about 76 kWh are usable. The old European NEDC cycle gave more than 450 km and 22.2 kWh per 100 km; the US EPA estimate was 354 km.

Drivers could choose between five levels of energy recovery with paddles behind the steering wheel, including a fully automatic mode, and a Max Range mode for the longest distance.

Charging the EQC

The 110 kW DC limit was lower than the 150 kW of the Audi e-tron, so a fast-charging stop takes longer. At home the change to an 11 kW on-board charger in late 2020 made a real difference. You can estimate running costs against a petrol or diesel SUV with our fuel cost comparison tool.

Dimensions, cabin and boot

The cabin follows the layout of the 2018 A-Class, with two screens under one glass panel and the MBUX system with voice control. An AMG Line package gave the body sportier bumpers and trim. The old version of this page quoted a braked towing capacity of 1,800 kg.

Safety: five Euro NCAP stars

Euro NCAP tested the EQC in 2019 and gave it five stars. It scored 96 % for adult occupants, 90 % for child occupants, 75 % for pedestrians and 75 % for safety assist. ANCAP adopted the same rating for Australia.

Sales, the cancelled US launch and the end

The EQC went on sale in Germany at €71,281 when production started on 6 May 2019, and orders opened the same day. Sales were slower than Mercedes had hoped. Germany registered 548 cars in 2019 and 13,936 in total, according to German sources. Norway was the biggest market outside Germany, with about 3,600 registrations in 2020 and about 4,000 in 2021.

Mercedes first postponed, then cancelled the US launch, partly because of low demand. German sources date the end of production to May 2023, and the news became public in 2024. The EQE SUV, launched a few months earlier, is about 10 cm longer. In size, the closer successor is the electric GLC.

Rivals: e-tron, I-Pace and Model X

On paper the Mercedes matched the Audi in power and range with a smaller battery, which points to better efficiency. The Jaguar went further on a charge. Our car comparison tool shows these models side by side.