New Mercedes EQ range of electric cars is on the way ~ station of gear

Mercedes has registered a series of EQ model names as it gears up to launch its MEQ sub-brand into the electric car market

2016-08-11 10:58

Mercedes’ forthcoming range of pure-electric vehicles is likely to be called ‘EQ’, Auto Express understands.

The German brand is known to be developing a pure-EV range designed to take on not only Tesla but also pure-electric vehicles due from Porsche, Audi and Jaguar over the next two to three years. Speculation has suggested that Merc could spin off its EVs into an entirely separate sub-brand - more detached from the three-pointed star than BMW’s i range is from its parent firm.

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However, recent trademark applications suggest that Mercedes is lining up a range of vehicles that will carry the ‘EQ’ prefix in their names - and that they’re likely to exist under a more conventional sub-brand called MEQ. The firm has asked to register everything from EQA and EQB through to EQX. It has also applied to register slogans including ‘EQ inside’, ‘EQ boost’ and ‘Generation MEQ’; these would probably be used in the firm’s marketing material for the new range of vehicles.

A Mercedes spokesperson denied all knowledge of the name or any plans for a sub-brand - although senior company executives have been quite open about the need to have pure-electric vehicles in their line-up.

The first all-electric vehicle from Mercedes is believed to be a saloon car called EQS; it’s a high-end rival for the Tesla Model S, and it could be previewed as early as next year - although sales are unlikely to start before 2019. It’ll sit on an all-new pure-electric platform called EVA (Electric Vehicle Architecture) that is designed to be scalable - allowing Mercedes to roll out smaller models and SUVs with relative ease as battery technology, customer demand and production capability allow.

Aside from Tesla, the EQ range will face stiff opposition from Jaguar’s bespoke ‘coupe SUV’ EV (due to be shown before the end of this year, ahead of production in 2018, according to insiders), Porsche’s Mission E and, potentially, two electric Audis - the confirmed Q6 e-tron SUV, and a rumoured pure-EV version of the next-generation A8.

What do you think about the prospect of a Mercedes EQ electric car range? Let us know below...

John McIlroy

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