The medium SUV called EQC isn't Mercedes' first EV. Its parent firm Daimler has explored the technology before, including most recently a smattering of fully electric B-Classes and city cars from sister brand Smart - but all were limited in scope (and arguably ambition).

By comparison, the EQC will be produced in the same German factory as 'regular' combustion-engined cars like the GLC and C-Class, with a good supply of batteries produced nearby. So if demand dictates, Mercedes reckons it can adjust production upward, although it is remaining coy about sales and how many might go to fleets. 

Aiming high

Mercedes wants to make EV life as 'premium' as regular customers of its brand expect. The EQC employs two electric motors, one on each axle for all-wheel drive, with a combined output of 408hp, offering a 5.1-second 0-62mph and a top speed of 111mph. Its 80kWh battery is good for a 259-mile range and can re-charge from 10 to 80% from a DC charger in 40 minutes. The company is also offering an AC wall-box for £279 (including installation and OLEV grant) to return a full battery in 11 hours.

Mercedes drivers will increasingly be able to tap into the Ionity network too, a joint venture with BMW, Ford and VW Group that plans to install 400 fast-charging stations Europe-wide by 2020. And if a driver ever gets caught without power, Mercedes' roadside assistance partner (RAC) can take the car and driver to the nearest charge point.

The EQC's exterior is conventionally smart, but still reminiscent of the GLC, despite only sharing door handles and wing mirrors. The interior is better differentiated with bespoke materials including a cut-away dashboard for the 10.25in touchscreen (and the MBUX operating system from the A-Class). It has EV-specific features, including the ability to schedule a whole week's charging in advance, and a Mercedes Me app, but it does not obviously offer anything above existing EV apps from Nissan or BMW i.

A matter of compromise

Space in the EQC is fine upfront and in the back, but legroom is nowhere near as good as in the I-Pace, nor is luggage capacity (the EQC offers 500-1,060 litres versus the I-Pace's 656-1,453 litres). This is partly due to the packaging compromises of building on a platform that also needs to fit internal combustion engines, unlike the EV-only I-Pace.