At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz presented the Generation EQ concept car. All models of the EQ series are based on one platform. The luxury and commercial vehicle manufacturer has since worked on the EQ series, and in 2019, Mercedes-Benz built the first model. With the EQC released in 2019, other electric models like the EQV, 2011, and the EQB.
With plans to expand their EV lineup, Mercedes-Benz has announced four electric platforms to support future models. The MB.EA platform will be used to build medium and large-sized Mercedes-Benz cars. To build electric versions of the Mercedes-Benz AMG and other high-performance models, the manufacturer will use the AMG.EA platform. For compact cars and light commercial vehicles, the MMA and Van.EA platforms will be employed, respectively. These platforms are still in the works and will be introduced by 2025. If you're interested, here's everything you need to know about Mercedes-Benz's EV lineup.
10 All-Electric Plan
Since releasing their first electric production car–the EQC in 2019, Mercedes-Benz has been quite serious about electrification. In a media post issued by the company in July 2021, they laid out practical plans for electrification.
Mercedes-Benz intends to have a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) version of all their car models by 2022. Then by 2025, the manufacturer would focus on EVs as all newly launched architectures will be electric. To achieve this plan, Mercedes-Benz is investing over €40 billion in BEVs between 2022 and 2030.
9 Charging Strategy
As Mercedes-Benz increases their EV lineup, they keep finding ways to make charging convenient, fast, and easy for their customers. Mercedes-Benz Canada has collaborated with ChargePoint to provide easy access to charging stations to Mercedes-Benz customers.
The manufacturer also has the Mercedes Me Charge service. Customers of the 'Mercedes Me' Charge service have access to the 'plug and charge' function with integrated payment. For ease of operation, drivers can enable the service through the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience), Mercedes me App, or the Mercedes Me Charge card.
8 EV Battery Joint Venture
The Automotive Cells Company was created by Stellantis, TotalEnergies, and Saft– a subsidiary of TotalEnergies in 2020. With auto manufacturers going electric soon, the Automotive Cells Co. intends to become a leading developer of batteries for electric cars.
The company's primary focus is developing and creating battery cells for EVs. Mercedes-Benz entered the joint venture in 2021 and became an equal stakeholder in the Automotive Cells Company. Currently, the joint venture has over $8.2 billion in investments.
7 Mercedes-Benz EQV Camper
The Mercedes-Benz EQV is an electric variant of Mercedes-Benz's V-class MPV minivan. Mercedes-Benz offers two battery options for the EQV; a 60kWh battery and a 90kWh battery. Both options are 147 miles and 266 miles of range, respectively. The EQV minivan is a 7-seater with lots of space and excellent ride quality.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled a camper version of the EQV, and it's surreal. A pop-up roof has been added to the van to make it a motorhome. There's also a foldable bed and a kitchen unit complete with a sink, gas cooker, refrigerator, and cooking utensils.
6 EV Sales Growth
With the introduction of the generation EQ series in 2016, Mercedes-Benz has begun its journey to becoming an all-electric brand. The luxury carmaker sold 227,458 plug-in hybrid and electric cars in 2021. That's a 69.3% increase in EV sales in the previous years and probably their highest EV sales figures.
A vast majority of the EVs sold were plug-in hybrid cars. For the Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) category, Mercedes-Benz sold about 99,301 units. The manufacturer attributed the sales growth to the introduction of EQ models in 2021.
5 Neuromorphic Computing
The Vision EQXX is probably Mercedes-Benz's biggest project at the moment. As part of the concept car's technology components, the manufacturer applied neuromorphic computing in the EV. Mercedes-Benz used BrainChip's Akida neuromorphic chip to make this possible.
Though neuromorphic computing is still in its infancy, it can make a massive difference in AI when appropriately harnessed. Mercedes-Benz joined the Intel Neuromorphic Research Community in 2020 to learn more about the technology. The application of neuromorphic computing in the Vision EQXX car enables the EV to save power and extend its range.
4 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQC
For the 2022 model, Mercedes-Benz added a new trim to the EQC. The EQC SUV uses an 80kWh lithium-ion battery with a maximum power output of 3,000kW and 760 Nm of torque. Some standard features on the EQC include autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot assist, evasive steering assist, traffic sign recognition, and a driver's knee airbag.
The SUV's interior is well-furnished, with the base model having two 10.25" screens for infotainment and digital instrument cluster. As a perk, owners of the EQC get five years of free charging with the ChargeFox network.
3 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS
Mercedes-Benz's flagship EV– the EQS, embodies luxury with its appearance and performance. The 2022 EQS sedan is available in both RWD and AWD. Both drive types of the EQS use a 106.8kWh lithium-ion battery with different power outputs. The RWD (EQS450+) option delivers 329 horsepower, 406 lb-ft of torque, and an acceleration rate of 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds.
On the other hand, you can expect the AWD (EQS580 4Matic) to deliver 516 horsepower, 611 lb-ft of torque, and an acceleration rate of 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds. The 2022 EQS is more luxurious and spacious than the 2022 Porsche Taycan.
2 Power trains
At the moment, Mercedes-Benz uses electric motors from their external partners. However, the automobile powerhouse has announced that this wouldn't continue for long. If you ever doubted how committed Mercedes-Benz is to electrification, the company will start making its power trains by 2024.
That's not far away, so the plans are probably underway. According to Daimler's Head of Development, Mercedes-Benz wants complete control of their EV systems from the power trains, batteries, and power electronics. The manufacturer designs some of their EV platforms, and they've also joined a battery joint venture, so this plan looks feasible.
1 Vision EQXX Prototype
The Vision EQXX is Mercedes-Benz's imagination of EVs and where they're heading as a brand. One thing we'd like to point out is that the Vision EQXX has over 621.37 miles of range. That would automatically fix EV range anxiety. The EV's prototype looks terrific with its sleek and aerodynamic exterior design.
To develop the power train, it took a collaboration of Mercedes-Benz engineers, motor racing specialists, and the Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix (MGP). The EV's battery can store about 100kWh while taking up little space. Right now, the Vision EQXX is the most efficient Mercedes-Benz ever built.