Electric cars have been really getting very popular among Indian audiences due to their sheer performance, long claimed ranges, cheaper to maintain and zero emissions. But Indians are a bit skeptical to buy them as EV infra is still under development which can hamper a peace of mind ownership experience. Still, the world’s best carmaker Mercedes Benz has launched its first Electric car, or else, electric SUV, the EQC to garner some sales who are interested in buying a luxury electric car. So, we shall test whether this SUV is up to the standards of the other Mercedes Benz cars.

Exterior

The EQC is based on the GLC SUV and it is evident in its design language. The front profile is dominated by a piano black grill that accentuates the smart-looking headlamps that feel quite upmarket. The grill is loaded with a lot of chrome that looks a bit outlandish. There is a thin strip of LED light that resembles Kia Seltos’s lights. Lower down, there is the black cladding in the bumper and fog lamp housings (sadly there are no fog lamps). The side profile is evidence that EQC is based on GLC; the strong shoulder line finished in chrome, cleanly designed doors, and the large glass area. The distinguishing factor is the batch, which states EQC, and 1886 (this is the year when Mercedes Benz was founded). The rear profile is quite appealing with the same connected light strip that runs through the boot lid. The rear is different from the GLC and the lights look classy. The rear end is quite muscular with the upright boot lid. Lower down, notice faux exhausts done on the bumper which I don’t understand because this is an electric car. The 18-inch wheels have blue accents that speak that this isn’t a regular car. Overall, it’s a great-looking SUV with spot-on body proportions.

Interior

The interior is a piece of art. I mean, it’s so gorgeous that I don’t have words to explain it. Those copper ac vents, the dashboard, and the door trims ooze a lot of character and quirkiness. But it isn’t cheap by any standard, it has every door pad, trim and common touchpads in leather. Lower down, there are no hard plastics that tone down the cabin experience. The seats are extremely comfortable; there is a generous amount of side bolstering, and lumbar support that will make your journeys in extreme comfort. The rear seat is also quite supportive and comfortable. There is a good amount of under-thigh support but the seats are a bit upright. Also, there isn’t much legroom which is shocking at this price point. Thus, the EQC has a well-appointed cabin with a lot of good quality material but the space isn’t as good as it should be of an expensive car.

Features

The Mercedes Benz EQC is a luxury SUV and it is priced at a premium than its regular counterpart, the GLC to lure customers and convince them to buy an electric SUV, they have put a lot of comfort and convenience features. First up, you will get LED headlamps, taillamps 360 parking camera, front-rear-side parking sensors, an electric tailgate with a smart swipe function, puddle lamps, and a side footstep runner. Coming to the interior, it gets a 10-inch touchscreen with MBUX system which boards in AI-powered voice commands that control your every setting like AC, music, sunroof, and navigation and it houses all the settings regarding lights, batteries, and instrument displays fortunately, its touchscreen but still it gets a trackpad. Also, it tells you the charging information, real-time range, and regenerative braking taking place. It gets ambient lighting, 3 zone climate control with charcoal air filter, air canister (this is a system where you can perfume given by Mercedes and it will dissipate through ac vents). The EQC also comes loaded with a fully digital instrument cluster with customizable skins (sport, progressive and classic). It also gets an electric parking brake, 10-way powered and heated front seats along with various massages, wireless charger, Burmester sound system that has terrific sound quality, Mercedes Me app connect that helps you know the car’s health, service intervals, geofencing, live location tracking and can handle remote operations of the car.

Performance

The EQC is powered by a pair of synchronous electric motors that makes this car 4wd but the default mode is two-wheel drive mated to a single-speed gearbox which delivers colossal 403 horsepower and 760 nm of torque from 0 RPM. The performance, as expected from an electric car and that too from Mercedes, is absolutely ravishing. Just put your foot down, the car gives a sudden response and it moves effortlessly. 0- 100 as tested will be done in just 5.6 secs which is overwhelming considering the weight of the car. The EQC gets 3 drive modes Eco, normal, and sport that configure the power delivery and steering feel. So driving an EQC will be fun as well as easy.

Steering and handling

The handling of the EQC isn’t as good as some of the other Merc’s in the market due to its sheer size and weight. It feels unnerving around the corner and doesn’t has that confidence that is present in some of the cars of the same segment. The ride quality is at par with other Mercedes cars. It soaks up the bumps quite easily and won’t filter them to the cabin, and the credit goes to the air suspension that works flawlessly. The steering is extremely precise and easy to twirl in heavy traffic conditions. Thus, it makes this huge car easy to drive.

Charging options and range

The EQC comes with an 80kW battery comes with a regular 15 Amp socket which you can plug and charge which takes 20 hrs to charge. Also, it comes with a wall box charger, a 7.4 kW charger, and it will charge the car in just 10hrs. If you go and charge the car at a DC industrial fast charger then it will charge the car in just 90 mins. The range claimed is 400 km.