Mercedes Maps Its Present (EQC) And Future (Urbanetic) At CES

The new Mercedes CLA Coupe wasn’t the only news coming from the company’s booth in CES; the German car maker also brought the production, battery-electric EQC for and the Vision Urbanetic Concept for their U.S. debuts.

The first is an electric Mercedes powered by two motors at the front and rear axles, providing a combined output of 402hp and 564lb-ft of torque. Thanks to its 80kWh battery pack, Mercedes estimates that the EQC’s range will be around 279 miles (450km) on the NEDC European cycle.

The new EQC is compatible with DC fast charging as standard, with the battery pack able to be charged with a maximum output of up to 110kW at an appropriate charging station. Mercedes says that the time to charge the EQC from 10 to 80 percent takes around 40 minutes when using a DC fast charger.

One of the exterior highlights of the EQC is of course the front end’s black panel surface that encloses the headlights and grille under the same panel. US-spec models will be offered with an illuminated Mercedes star as standard for a more impressive look during the night.

The first Mercedes to be launched under the EQ brand is also engineered to provide exceptional noise comfort; the company’s engineers have isolated the powerpacks with rubber mounts in addition to other measures in order to create a truly silent cabin.

Speaking of which, the high-quality interior of the EQC features rose-gold colored louvers for the air vents, the latest MBUX infotainment system with the dual-screen setup and a dashboard with a clear orientation towards the driver.

Sales of the new Mercedes EQC will start in the U.S. market in 2020, with apparently a price tag that’s similar to that of a GLC 43. Mercedes aims to start production of its first electric SUV this spring.

Vision Urbanetic Concept

The other model that Mercedes brought along at CES is the Vision Urbanetic that we first saw at last year’s IAA Hannover show. It’s a flexible autonomous robo-van that can be used for transporting either people or goods through different interchangeable modules, depending on the usage scenario.

Mercedes’s designers envisioned the Urbanetic as a ride-sharing vehicle that could be used by private individuals or companies, who would register their needs through an app that feeds information to an intelligent IT system. Based on the changeover concept, the system would then analyze those details and deploy a fleet of self-driving cars best able to address the demand.

“During the rush-hour traffic of early morning and late afternoon, the fleet can be equipped with more people-mover modules. During other times, the system would mainly be used for goods transport with the cargo module. The virtually noiseless electric drive makes the system viable for further late or night-time delivery options”, said Gerd Reichenbach, Head of Strategy at Mercedes-Benz Vans.