In an effort to compete with its US rival Tesla, German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has revealed its inaugural fully-electric SUV.
The EQC, equipped with two electric motors, boasts a range exceeding 450km and is scheduled to begin production at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen in 2019. With a commitment of over €10bn (£9bn) for expanding its electric lineup and more than €1bn for battery production, the company aims to release ten EQ models by 2023.
With impending bans on combustion engines in the UK and France, along with the establishment of low-emission zones in European cities, major car manufacturers have been racing to enter the electric vehicle market. While Tesla, based in California, faced little competition until recently due to production challenges and financial concerns, German brands Porsche and Audi, as well as Britain’s Jaguar, are now slated to produce luxury electric cars.
Earlier this year, the German government ordered Daimler, Mercedes-Benz’s parent company, to recall 238,000 vehicles in Germany after it was discovered that they were equipped with illegal software to conceal diesel emissions. In total, 774,000 diesel vehicles across Europe contain “defeat devices,” and Daimler has committed to recalling all of them. The company plans to update the software but denies any wrongdoing.
