2019 Mercedes Concept EQ, to be Alabama-built by 2020

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edatoakrun

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The premium BESUV market is looking likely to be very crowded, in just a few years.

https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/mercedes-benz/next/e-mobility/concept-eq-mobility-revisited/


Mercedes Takes on Tesla With Plans to Build Electric SUVs in the U.S.


Daimler AG doesn't just plan to sell electric vehicles to U.S. consumers, the German automaker that owns the Mercedes-Benz brand wants American workers to build them too.

Daimler said Thursday it will spend $1 billion to produce electric SUVs at its Alabama factory—and build a separate battery plant—in a move that could give homegrown electric vehicle favorite Tesla a little competition.

The Mercedes electric SUV will be under a new brand called EQ, which will cover a number of electric products, from vehicles and charging services to home energy storage units. Mercedes gave the world a first look at what EQ vehicles might look like at the Paris Motor Show in 2016 when it unveiled an electric crossover concept vehicle...

The first EQ series model, EQC, will go into production in 2019 in Bremen, Germany...

the EQ isn't going to go head-to-head with the Tesla Model X. But it might be competing with Model Y as well as several other automakers including Audi and Volvo that plan to bring electric vehicles to the U.S. market in the next several years...

Daimler also plans to build a one million square-foot battery plant next to its Tuscaloosa, Ala.-based factory. This will be Daimler's fifth battery plant globally. Construction for the new facility in Tuscaloosa is expected to begin in 2018, with operations planned to start at the beginning of 2020...
http://fortune.com/2017/09/21/mercedes-electric-suvs-alabama/

Another take:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-21/mercedes-plots-tesla-attack-with-1-billion-u-s-electric-push

MB's site showing the 2016 concept BESUV:

https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/mercedes-benz/next/e-mobility/concept-eq-mobility-revisited/
 
They are being coy about battery plant capacity. Since the $1B investment pays for both the factory upgrade and the battery factory, it perhaps stands to reason that the battery capacity will 10-15% of the Gigafactory (which cost $5B.)

We do know they are building a long distance SUV which will, I presume, come with a 100 kWh+ battery. My WAG then is battery supply for somewhere in the range of 30k EVs a year.
 
2.5 miles/kWh.

"The 80 kWh battery (10 kWh more than in the concept version) is expected to last for up to 200 miles (320 km). Then, the car will be able to recharge at 110 kW (from 10% to 80% in 40 minutes)."

https://insideevs.com/2020-mercedes-benz-eqc-revealed-range-estimated-at-200-miles/

https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/mercedes-benz/vehicles/eqc-2019/

18C0667_29.jpg
 
KeiJidosha said:
2.5 miles/kWh.

"The 80 kWh battery (10 kWh more than in the concept version) is expected to last for up to 200 miles (320 km). Then, the car will be able to recharge at 110 kW (from 10% to 80% in 40 minutes)."
I expect they're just being conservative and low-balling at the moment, because that's even worse efficiency than the i-Pace. I'm guessing 210 to 225 EPA. If 200 or less it's DoA. There's simply no excuse for expensive BEVs with less than 200 miles of range.
 
GRA said:
...I expect they're just being conservative and low-balling at the moment...

I hope that is true. I have seen range numbers up to 280 miles in various posts today. Caption reads "22.2kWh/100km" on the jumbo-tron behind Dieter Zetsche during the youtube Live stream world premiere from Stockholm at 16:50.

https://youtu.be/V-Da4nv48QI

Since he goes on to relate the Swedish version of the "Goldilocks" principle; "Not too little, not too much", I hear rationalizing for balance of the whole package against any one feature.
 
The entire drive is bulky and is designed like an ICE. There is no storage up front and there also a long column into the cabin further wasting space. What where they thinking?
 
Nice looking, normal SUV from a respected brand. Probably out of my price range, but maybe in 2023 when they come off lease.
 
EVDRIVER said:
The entire drive is bulky and is designed like an ICE. There is no storage up front and there also a long column into the cabin further wasting space. What where they thinking?
Update article makes just that point. Not a Clean sheet design;

"First of all, the EQC inherits from the GLC, so the German manufacturer was limited to a non-ground-up build. Regardless, Mercedes-Benz did all that was possible to adopt the skateboard design with two motors – one at each axle – and battery packs between the axles. The front trunk wasn’t able to emerge though."

https://insideevs.com/mercedes-benz-eqc-explained-video/

I expect that domestic production should improve pricing and availability for the EQC in these uncertain times, but probably not immediately.

In the end, the two pictures I have found of the cargo area with the rear seats down show it to be flat and roomy. So still a contender for me pending final measurements.
 
KeiJidosha said:
EVDRIVER said:
The entire drive is bulky and is designed like an ICE. There is no storage up front and there also a long column into the cabin further wasting space. What where they thinking?
Update article makes just that point. Not a Clean sheet design;

"First of all, the EQC inherits from the GLC, so the German manufacturer was limited to a non-ground-up build.


Translation, another modified conversion after many years of not fully engaging on EVs. I can tell you first hand that I have been privy to their EV development philosophy and they need to be pushed to take any steps to an Ev commitment. The packaging on this car is terrible, it seems they are simply trying to reuse as much as possible. They do not listen to the market and they are very focused on incremental steps based on market fear. Their EV development has been going on for longer than you may think and after many years this it their big reveal for the future. Clearly they could have done much better but it is pretty disappointing at many levels based on the length of time they have been experimenting in this space.
 
Via IEVS:
Mercedes Now Says 200-Mile Range Estimate For EQC Isn’t Correct
https://insideevs.com/mercedes-eqc-200-mile-range-incorrect/

Range should be equal to its competitors.

When the Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4MATIC launched yesterday, there was a palpable sense of disappointment among many observers. Instead of focusing on the fact that a significant player was launching a brand new all-electric vehicle in the popular crossover category, much of the surrounding discussion was focused its range, which was given in press materials as “up to 200 miles.” Turns out that number should have been higher. Oops

Contacted by Green Car Reports, Mercedes spokesperson Michael Minielly advised that the 200-mile figure was a not right. Said he to the publication,

  • “Our colleagues in Stuttgart have advised us that the preliminary estimated range figure for the EQC of 200 miles for the U.S. market is incorrect. For now, we ask that you please use the 450-km NEDC figure (approximately 279 miles). The official U.S. range will be communicated closer to market launch. . . .“

Our own Mark Kane, familiar with how the different testing systems correspond with each other, estimates that the EQC will be given an EPA rating of approximately 222 miles. Seeing as the battery-powered Benz has an 80-kWh battery (usable — the actual capacity is probably around 90 kWh) and its efficiency stated as 22.2 kWh per 100 km (62 miles), we feel that this reinforces our estimate. . . .
 
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