Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ Concept

If Tesla has proven one thing in its assault on the major automotive manufacturers, it is that the traditional car makers are scrambling to catch up to the spunky startup company. Recently, Mercedes-Benz introduced its EQ sub-brand that will be home to its long-range electric vehicles. The first product said to be coming is an EV crossover. We were supposed to see the production version last month, but instead, Mercedes showed off a concept, the Generation EQ, that is very close to what will make production, which will happen sometime in the next three years.

The Generation EQ concept hides a modular electric-vehicle platform. This will prove key to keeping costs down while providing a broad range of styles and configurations for consumers, including battery capacities. The EQ concept is said to pack the most powerful battery and motor setup, making 402 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque from two electric motors. Sixty-two miles per hour is said to happen in under five seconds. The range is estimated at 310 miles thanks to the lithium-ion battery pack.

Also in development is several charging options thanks to a new Combined Charging System. The system will be able to charge up to 150 kilowatts. A 300-kilowatt system could theoretically add 62 miles of driving range in just five minutes. Sadly, the CCS is still a European standard. Its likelihood of coming to the US market is unknown.

The future of Mercedes-Benz’s EVs is hidden under some very wild design choices inside and out with the Generation EQ concept. That is what concept vehicles do, though. They pack in the latest cutting-edge technology and wrap the package in something out of a sci-fi movie. If Mercedes put the system in a rebadged GLC with large wheels and funky headlights, we wouldn’t be as nearly as excited. The concept is ambitious. Now we have to wait to see how close to the concept the production vehicle will be.