Mercedes-Benz EQC: the new electric SUV gets a taste of the heat in Almería

The Mercedes-Benz EQC is undergoing its final phase of development in Spain, ahead of its market launch in 2019.

The Mercedes-Benz EQC is in the final development phase. The electric SUV will be the first zero-emission vehicle to reach the market under the EQ name, a family of electric cars built on a completely new platform (EVA) that aims to bring electrification to Mercedes where it belongs: taking on rivals (BMW, Tesla) that currently hold a slight lead in 100% electric cars. In this sense, the Mercedes-Benz EQC is the most anticipated model from the star brand, an SUV that could go on sale in mid-2019 and is currently in Spain completing its final stage of development.

Heat tests in the Almería desert

Spain is the last stage of the Mercedes-Benz EQC’s journey toward production maturity. The electric SUV is undergoing various tests at high temperatures to check the reliability and effectiveness of components such as the air conditioning, charging system, battery cooling, drive system and control units.

The number one challenge of these tests on the Mercedes-Benz EQC is dry heat. While an electric car’s battery simply loses power in the cold, exposure to excessive heat carries a risk of damage to the battery. Optimal management of this component is the goal of the extreme tests being carried out in Spain.

“With the final straight in sight, we can now complete another extremely demanding test program with our pre-production vehicles,” says Michael Kelz, Chief Engineer of the Mercedes-Benz EQC. “Having successfully completed the winter endurance tests at minus 35 degrees Celsius, we are confident that the heat tests will confirm that we are on track with the series production start plan.”

The development of the Mercedes-Benz EQC from the first prototypes to series production will span a total of four years. Over that period, the SUV will have been tested under different conditions and in various locations: Germany, Finland, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Dubai, South Africa, the United States and China.

A high-performance SUV with long range

The Mercedes-Benz EQC will feature a drive system made up of two electric motors (one per axle) that will deliver a combined output of 402 CV. We also know it will incorporate a 70 kWh battery that could be homologated for 500 kilometres of range, though under the outdated NEDC cycle. We estimate its range under the WLTP cycle (more realistic) will be around 400 km.