Believe it or not, the world’s first all-electric cars were invented nearly 200 years ago, offering quiet, easy operation for quick around-town trips (check out my in-depth examination of EVs here). Mercedes-Benz, being the old automotive standby that it is, first got into the EV game in 1906, but like every other major automaker, eventually ditched the batteries in favor of a gas tank. Now, with all-electric transportation once again on the rise, Mercedes has decided to double down on EV investment, and it’s looking like its new major effort will be an SUV. Packing more than 300 miles of range, oodles of luxury, the very latest autonomous tech, and a serious amount of muscle, Merc’s new upcoming model looks to dominate a segment that’s only now starting to emerge.
Mercedes’ parent company, Daimler AG, has been tinkering with EVs here and there for the past few years, with recent offerings including electrified versions of the Mercedes B-Class and Smart ForTwo. But now, with corporate scandal, political pressure, and increasing demand for EVs all coalescing into a single motivating force, the move away from internal combustion seems all but inevitable.
As such, Daimler is pouring billions into EV R&D, and hasannounced plans debut 10 new all-electric vehicles by 2025. The new lineup will fall under the newly created “EQ” sub-brand, and will supposedly stand on “four pillars” – “Connected, Autonomous, Shared, Electric.”
Ambitious? Absolutely. But apparently, the first EQ offering is nearly complete, debuting in concept form at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year. Merc says the concept is close to production-ready, but concepts can be deceiving, so we took a hard look, figured out what’ll make it to dealers, drew up a rendering, and wrote the following speculative review.
Continue reading to learn more about the upcoming Mercedes-Benz All-Electric SUV.
from Top Speed http://ift.tt/2gme3j6
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