Mercedes-Benz's Generation EQ Teases Its Electric Sub-brand

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled an all-electric SUV concept at the Paris Auto Show, strongly hinting at what we can expect from its recently announced EQ sub-brand.

The Generation EQ concept offers impressive range and up to 400 horsepower, which the automaker needs to compete with the likes of Tesla and rival BMW’s “i” sub-brand.

Sporting all-important “coupe-like” styling, the Generation EQ greets us with an LED-filled face that you’ll only see on a concept car. Naturally, there’s no need for side-view mirrors. None of this matters, as the concept is simply a preview of future models — it’s the technology and capability that Mercedes-Benz wants us to notice.

Powered by two electric motors, the all-wheel-drive Generation EQ sports scalable battery components, allowing a power output of up to 400 horsepower and about 516 lb-ft of torque. The automaker claims a 0-62 mile per hour time of less than five seconds.

Juice is drawn from a battery pack of more than 70 kW. Mercedes-Benz claims its modular architecture, which includes the batteries, will find a home in future EQ models. Driving range is up to 500 kilometers, or 310 miles. That tops the 289-mile range of Tesla’s Model X P100D.

A recent report by Bloomberg stated Mercedes-Benz intents to market at least four EQ-branded vehicles by the end of the decade.

[Images: Mercedes-Benz]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Tosh Tosh on Sep 29, 2016

    Black hoods and roofs are here to stay...

  • HotPotato HotPotato on Sep 30, 2016

    Oh goody, more vaporware. The Mercedes-Benz brand has only one actual EV for sale, the half-assed B-class...and they didn't even do the work on it themselves, but rather bought the single ass cheek from Tesla.

  • Honda1 Unions were needed back in the early days, not needed know. There are plenty of rules and regulations and government agencies that keep companies in line. It's just a money grad and nothing more. Fain is a punk!
  • 1995 SC If the necessary number of employees vote to unionize then yes, they should be unionized. That's how it works.
  • Sobhuza Trooper That Dave Thomas fella sounds like the kind of twit who is oh-so-quick to tell us how easy and fun the bus is for any and all of your personal transportation needs. The time to get to and from the bus stop is never a concern. The time waiting for the bus is never a concern. The time waiting for a connection (if there is one) is never a concern. The weather is never a concern. Whatever you might be carrying or intend to purchase is never a concern. Nope, Boo Cars! Yeah Buses! Buses rule!Needless to say, these twits don't actual take the damn bus.
  • MaintenanceCosts Nobody here seems to acknowledge that there are multiple use cases for cars.Some people spend all their time driving all over the country and need every mile and minute of time savings. ICE cars are better for them right now.Some people only drive locally and fly when they travel. For them, there's probably a range number that works, and they don't really need more. For the uses for which we use our EV, that would be around 150 miles. The other thing about a low range requirement is it can make 120V charging viable. If you don't drive more than an average of about 40 miles/day, you can probably get enough electrons through a wall outlet. We spent over two years charging our Bolt only through 120V, while our house was getting rebuilt, and never had an issue.Those are extremes. There are all sorts of use cases in between, which probably represent the majority of drivers. For some users, what's needed is more range. But I think for most users, what's needed is better charging. Retrofit apartment garages like Tim's with 240V outlets at every spot. Install more L3 chargers in supermarket parking lots and alongside gas stations. Make chargers that work like Tesla Superchargers as ubiquitous as gas stations, and EV charging will not be an issue for most users.
  • MaintenanceCosts I don't have an opinion on whether any one plant unionizing is the right answer, but the employees sure need to have the right to organize. Unions or the credible threat of unionization are the only thing, history has proven, that can keep employers honest. Without it, we've seen over and over, the employers have complete power over the workers and feel free to exploit the workers however they see fit. (And don't tell me "oh, the workers can just leave" - in an oligopolistic industry, working conditions quickly converge, and there's not another employer right around the corner.)
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