Mercedes-EQ has revealed the EQB electric SUV which is only the second fully electric compact model from the brand.
Based on the GLB, the electric car has a boxy silhouette and styling that resembles current Mercedes SUVs. However, it does come with elements to let people know that it is a Mercedes-EQ model.
Upfront, it features the black panel grille, continuous light strip at the front (connecting DRLs) and the back, blue colour highlights within the headlamps, which is typical of Mercedes-EQ cars.
Being an SUV, the car does have protective body cladding along the side, a rising beltline with a kink at the C-pillar and bi- or tri-colour alloy wheels (up to 20 inches in size).
At the rear, there are LED tail lamps, a decent-sized tailgate and a bumper housing the number plate. The Mercedes EQB has a very good drag value with a Cd figure of 0.28.
The new Mercedes EQB is 4684 mm long, 1834 mm wide, 1667 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2829 mm. This translates into ample space inside, for the car can also be had with up to 7 seats.
Mercedes says the 2 seats in the third row can be used by people up to 1.65 metres tall and child seats can also be fitted there. The boot space with all 7 seats up is 465 litres.
Like recent Mercedes cars, the dash has twin digital screens housed in a single binnacle, while the steering wheel is a familiar unit too.
There are nice touches like the rose gold colouring on the air vents, key fob and seats. Even the instrument displays feature the same colour scheme with blue highlights.
To make its debut at Auto Shanghai 2021, the Mercedes EQB will be launched later this year in China as a fully-equipped model (AMG Line) with an output of 215 kW (288 HP).
In Europe, where the car will go on sale by the end of the year (2022 in the USA), Mercedes will sell the EQB with various power levels, some with over 200 kW (268 HP) in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive guises.
The usable battery capacity in Europe would be 66.5 kWh and the range of the EQB 350 4Matic in Europe is a claimed 419 km (WLTP). It also supports fast charging of up to 100 kW using which 10-80 percent juice can be added in just over 30 minutes.
Of course, there are high-tech features such as ECO Assist, Navigation with Electric Intelligence that the Mercedes EQB will come with in addition to driving assistance systems.
Production of the EQB will take place in Kecskemét, Hungary for the global market and at the German-Chinese joint venture BBAC in Beijing for the Chinese market.
