If you want an electric Mercedes-Benz, you’ll have to wait a little longer, but you’ll have a lot of options. The company has taken a simple, all-in approach to bring electric vehicles (EVs) to its lineup. Over the next two years, they’ll start with the introduction of EV versions of five of their most popular cars.
We’ve known for some time about the EQC, which rides on the platform of the GLC SUV. It’s the only one we have any details on. Powered by a pair of electric motors, one per axle, it puts out the equivalent of 402 horsepower. Preliminary estimates say it will have a range of around 200 miles (though we should note that Europe and the U.S. use different methods for estimating range, making it slightly complicated to determine what range a European model will claim when it reaches the American market).
Mercedes released photos, and a rough production schedule, of five more upcoming EVs today. Oddly, the cars wear colorful camouflage automakers typically use to hide the appearance of models still in testing. But it’s easy enough to see that the bodywork for each differs little from their gas-powered siblings.
The EQS is the first electric Mercedes for sale in the U.S., even before the EQC (though purists will note it’s not the first electric Mercedes. The short-lived Electrique appeared in 1906). It bows this spring and starts sales before the end of 2021. Based on the top-of-the-line S-Class sedan, we expect a starting price just below six figures.
Next will come the EQA, which makes its formal appearance next month for sale in the 2021 model year. Essentially an electrified version of the GLA-Class crossover, we expect prices to fall in the low $50,000 range.
It will be followed by the EQB, based on the slightly larger GLB-Class crossover, with its third row of seats. The price will likely hover around $60,000.
The EQE sedan will be built on the E-class platform, though slightly smaller than the gas-powered model. It may sell for about $65,000.
The last of the batch will be a counterpart to the GLE-Class SUV. Currently, Mercedes calls it the EQE SUV, but we expect to see a name change before it goes on sale, since the brand typically doesn’t give a sedan and an SUV the same name. Production won’t start until 2022. Pricing may fall around the $70,000 mark.
