Mercedes EQC is a D-segment electric SUV launched in 2019. Rather than creating an all-new platform and building an electric car from the scratch, Mercedes took existing petrol engine GLC as a base, swapped the ICE engine with two electric motors and attached them to an 80-kWh battery.

It has an all-wheel-drive powertrain that can produce 408 HP and 760 Nm torque. According to WLTP test cycle, EQC can provide up to 462 kilometers of range. The 80-kWh battery supports 110 kW DC charging. It takes 40 minutes to charge from 10 percent to 80 percent. Charging was very fast when the EQC first launched on the market, but it is not as fast as Hyundai Ioniq 5, or Audi Q4 e-tron.

Mercedes EQC is being produced both in Germany and China. It is available in most of the Europe, Turkey, and China. Base model EQC 400 4MATIC priced at around €66,000 and sporty trim EQC AMG Line costs €7,000 more.

Performance

Mercedes EQC is 700 kilograms heavier than the GLC, but extra weight doesn’t negatively affect its performance. It can produce 408 horsepower and 760 Nm torque. It takes only 5.1 seconds to get from 0-100 km/h (62 mph).

EQC handles like a Mercedes, but it weighs 2.5 tons and center of gravity isn’t that low compared to BMW iX or other electric SUVs. As a result, the car’s rolling around when taking the corners, a little bit of understeering as well.

Top speed is electronically limited to 180 km/h not only for safety reasons, but also keeping the energy consumption at a certain level.

Design and Features

Even though it’s based on the GLC, Mercedes EQC has a new front grille, slimmer headlights, lightbar style taillights, and a new dashboard design. Front of the vehicle clearly redesigned to show that Mercedes didn’t just swap the engine and put a big battery pack into an existing car. In fact, the new front design is going to be the distinctive face of the Mercedes’s electric vehicles. Both Mercedes EQS and the compact SUV Mercedes EQA have a very similar nose job.

EQC comes with a 12.5-inch infotainment touch display. It has the latest sat-nav system that supports AR navigation. It basically shows you where you should go with virtual arrows on top of the actual footage of the road. If you’re not sure which way to go, just look at the infotainment screen and it will point you where you should turn.

Front and back seats are adequate. Back doors can be opened quite widely, getting in and out is very convenient. Sunroof isn’t as long as the Tesla Model X’s glass roof though.

Range and Charging

Mercedes offers only one battery pack option for the EQC. It has a useable capacity of 80-kWh. When fully charged, EQC can travel up to 462 kilometers.

110 kW DC charging is supported, 10% to 80% of charge takes 40 minutes. There is also a new liquid cooled on-board 11 kW AC charger. EQC owners can fully charge their vehicles at home in seven and a half hours.