EQC – SCDW

Mercedes has revealed a new concept, combining its electrification strategy with off-roading, resulting in the Mercedes EQC 4×4 Squared.

We have seen the 4×4 Squared moniker before on the G500 and the E-class All-Terrain, but never before on an all-electric vehicle. A team of dedicated developers under the leadership of development engineer Jürgen Eberle (he worked on the E400 All-Terrain 4×4 Squared) has created this drivable technology platform on the basis of an EQC 400 4MATIC.

This study is to show that electric drive and sustainability can be mixed with an adventurous lifestyle, driving over multiple terrains from sand to crawling over rocks and fording through mud. Now for the numbers.

It rides at 293 mm above the ground, 58mm higher than a G-Class. It has a fording depth of 40cm, approach angle of 31.8 degrees and a departure angle of 33 degrees at the back. The tremendous ground clearance is made possible by the conversion to portal axles, where the wheels situated lower down on the axle hubs owing to the portal gears. Meaning essentially, the whole car gets taller.

Now this is all very similar to what we have seen in other Squared models but in the EQC the headlights turn into ‘lampspeakers’. Now really and truly the headlights or ‘lampspeakers’ are used as part of the powerful Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) which is needed to produce sounds by law.

Mercedes-Benz has fully immersed itself in developing sustainable concepts for aspects of mobility and this time they have tried to find a solution for the first and last mile of a journey. The automotive behemoth has teamed up with Swiss micro mobility specialists Micro Mobility Systems AG to create the Mercedes-Benz eScooter.

Now the press release goes into a lot of detail about how users can enjoy it on the last mile and how it corresponds to the modern lifestyle but the real meat of it comes down to the specs.

The eScooter has a 7.8 Ah battery mated to an electric motor with a peak of 500 W allowing the rider to reach the limited 20km/h for up to 25km. The frame is black with Mercedes-Benz and Micro co-branding on the steering column. It has a wide kick plate with non slip coating and is fitted with 20 cm rubber wheels, said to make it easier to ride over cobblestones. Getting the 13.5kg scooter to stop is done by the rear drum brake and a footbrake to further add friction.

It is a folding design with a retractable steering column whilst on the handlebars, there is a centrally mounted display that shows the speed, battery level and riding mode at a glance as well as having front and rear lights with side reflectors for use at night.

With apps now able to control car features, the same can be done with the eScooter – the Micro app can provide information such as speed, distance, travel time, battery charge status, riding modes, lights as well as navigation with the app providing the shortest possible route to get to your destination.

The eScooter charges in around 3-3.5 hours using a standard domestic socket, and reaches 70% charge in just over two hours. Mercedes plans to offer a Bluetooth connection and a boot docking station allowing drivers to charge as they drive.

As scooters are allowed on public roads in Germany, the eScooter has a number plate bracket and meets all the necessary requirements, such as identification plate and ABE [German general operating license], so the only thing the owner needs to obtain is statutory liability insurance, which makes it feel a lot more like a personal vehicle than a toy.

There is no word on pricing and launch date as of yet or even if it will be available in the UK, but it is interesting to see large automotive manufacturers thinking about the final miles from a parking space.