Mercedes-Benz Malaysia have showned the Concept EQ in right here in Kuala Lumpur just weeks after intoducing its #switchtoEQ and EQ subbrand of PHEV cars.
The close-to-production concept vehicle Concept EQ marks the launch of an architecture for battery-electric vehicles across all models.
“The Concept EQ is a cornerstone of our new electric mobility brand, EQ. It presents an innovative product approach as part of a holistic and comprehensive ecosystem for future mobility. In every way, this vehicle proudly manifests its claim of being a technology leader – meeting the demands of sustainable and future-driven motoring. We are delighted to be able to showcase the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQ here in Malaysia, marking the beginning of a pure-electric product offensive which will wear the EQ badge,” said Mark Raine, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Passenger Cars, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.
Concept EQ offers a comprehensive electric mobility ecosystem with products, services, technologies and innovations. The spectrum ranges from electric vehicles to wallboxes and charging services to home energy storage units. Mercedes-Benz will market future battery-electric vehicles under the brand name EQ. The name stands for “Electric Intelligence” and is derived from the Mercedes-Benz brand values of “Emotion and Intelligence”.
The new brand encompasses all key aspects for customer-focused electric mobility and extends beyond the vehicle itself. Future models will embody the essentials of state-of-the-art electric mobility: the fusion of emotively appealing and intelligent design, exceptional driving pleasure, high everyday practicality and maximum safety, a hallmark of every vehicle from the inventor of the automobile.
As the driver approaches the car, it automatically activates to welcome him or her with a specific colour mood in the interior. The welcome scenario is rounded off by digital light in the perforated interior door panels. Once the driver has taken their place, the lighting mood switches to electric blue, with the lights in the doors and on the seats dimming slowly. The wide-screen display gradually builds up to present the energy level. The navigation map shows all the destinations that can be reached on the current battery charge.
With two electric motors on the front and rear axles and a battery in the vehicle floor, Concept EQ embodies a powerful vehicle concept. The basis for dynamic high-level performance and safety comes courtesy of the electric all-wheel drive with axle-variable torque distribution and a battery installed deep in the vehicle floor between the axles. With a total output of up to 300 kW in the most powerful variant and a maximum torque of up to 700 Newton metres, Concept EQ accelerates to 100 km/h in under five seconds. In combination with the intelligent operating strategy from Mercedes-Benz, Concept EQ has a range of up to 500 kilometres.
In the transfer to series production, Mercedes-Benz benefits not only from its in-house development and production expertise, but also from the Group’s cross-model-series modular strategy for alternative drive systems and direct access to key components for electric mobility. The high-efficiency lithium-ion battery originates from the Daimler subsidiary Deutsche ACCUMOTIVE. Thanks to their modular design, the innovative battery systems have a model-specific total capacity of over 70 kWh.
Concept EQ brings together the latest-generation charging technologies. The vehicle is ready both for charging at home by induction or wallbox and for fast charging. Mercedes-Benz energy storage units of the future could form an ideal symbiosis with the cordless charging system via induction or wallbox. Households that have their own photovoltaic system and which store their surplus solar power in a Mercedes-Benz energy storage unit can thus benefit from a “green” source of power that is extensively independent of the energy market.
Significantly reduced charging times will come with the introduction of fast charging by the Combined Charging System (CCS). This European charging standard allows for fast charging with a far greater capacity than at present. Currently, charging capacities from 50 up to sometimes 150 kW are possible.
In the medium to long term, a charging capacity of even up to 300 kW is planned. This would enable sufficient power for 100 locally emission-free kilometres to be recharged within five minutes