A Complete Guide To The Mercedes-Benz EQC

The Mercedes-Benz EQC is the second electric car to join the EQ family as a premium and technology packed SUV blending the Mercedes-Benz values of ‘Emotion’ and ‘Intelligence’. Strong performance and efficiency are incorporated into a futuristic and classy exterior with a luxurious interior.  

The EQC has range of up to 255 miles and can be recharged from 10-80% in just 40 minutes. Yet the EQC is not only about efficiency with a 300kW motor (402hp), acceleration from 0-62mph takes 5.1 seconds and the instant torque available ensures a responsive driving experience.  

All this is wrapped up in a stylish exterior design with a striking black-panel radiator, eye-catching LED wraparound band at the front and rear. Inside the seamless widescreen interior display, ambient lighting, 3D styling elements and premium materials all contribute to create a modern, sleek and distinctive looking car that leaves a lasting impression. 

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The main advantage of being electric is the added driving refinement, when compared to an equivalent diesel GLC. The electric motor makes no sound and other noises such as tyre and suspension noise are barely noticeable, which gives a further element of luxury.

The car seems to be set up for luxury, rather than pure dynamic driving, due to its soft suspension and rear air suspension which means the car can sometimes roll and pitch which encourages more efficient driving. Yet in sport mode the car does sharpen up.  

The EQC does have a responsive throttle with over 400bhp and instant torque available from the dual electric motors which power all four wheels. The traction control is a real asset to the car and means that acceleration from 0-62 mph is achievable in 5.1 seconds.  

The regenerative braking has several modes which control the varying amounts of regen braking taking place. In its strongest setting you can almost accelerate and brake with one pedal. And in its weakest, the car will roll freely. There is also an auto mode which uses the car’s camera, radar and GPS data to predict upcoming traffic situations and if the car will need to slow down. This does feel odd at first but does maximise the regen potential and builds an efficient driving style to extend the range.

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The exterior of the EQC is a blend of coupe style and SUV practicality, with a gently tapering roofline which gives a stunning look outside whilst also offering headspace inside. The design incorporates blue detailing to hint at the dual electric motors powering the car. Whilst the striking LED light designs front and rear further signify the technology within and give the car a unique signature day and night.  

The EQC is designed to have as low a drag coefficient as possible which is why the car features active aerodynamics such as air vents around the car, striking alloy wheel designs and such a smooth and clean look to the overall design.  

The interior of the EQC clearly belongs to a Mercedes-Benz, yet still manages to have its own unique identity which hints at the electric drivetrain within the car. Elements such as the copper-coloured accents, blue ambient lighting (which can be configured in 64 colours), EQ mode on the central infotainment screen and unique materials all stand out from the usual Mercedes interiors. There are 3D materials as well such as those on the doors which add another level of visual interest to the car.  

There are also a range of more traditional Mercedes-Benz features such as premium materials and leathers, the seamless widescreen cockpit with two digital displays of 10.25” which displays all the information you need, can support augmented reality navigation and can be controlled by touch, buttons or voice.  

The interior will appeal to both loyal Mercedes fans and new customers to the brand, leaving a lasting impression.  

There a few driving modes including: Individual, Sport, Comfort and Eco. Comfort provides the perfect balance between efficiency and performance to provide a comfortable driving experience. Sport mode maximises performance whilst Eco ensures you get the most range out of the EQC by managing the climate control, giving haptic feedback via the accelerator pedal. Finally Individual allows you to choose how different elements of the car feel such as the steering weight, responsiveness and traction control. 

Standard equipment includes:

• 19" Alloy Wheels (Five Twin Spoke)
• Active Parking Assist with Reversing Camera
• 10.25 Inch Touchscreen Media Display and Instrument Cluster
• Ambient Lighting With 64 Colours

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• Electric Sliding Roof
• Burmester Surround Sound System
• MBUX Augmented Navigation
• Wireless Mobile Phone Charging

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• MBUX Interior Assistant
• Head Up Display
• Parking Package with 360 Degree Camera
• Memory Seats

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No, you don’t, in fact the quickest charging happens between 10 and 80%, so frequent top ups within this range can be more convenient and preserve battery health.  

Fully charging the battery will however give you the maximum range for longer journeys. The battery is designed to last the lifetime of the car even with frequent charges outside of the 10-80% range. 

To charge the EQC you simply open the charging port which is located under a flap (similar to a fuel cap) on the rear panel of the car.  

Then either use the charging cable supplied with the car or the charging cable attached to the charging station and insert the cable into the car. Follow the instructions on the charging station such as payment instructions and confirmation, then check the car is charging by ensuring the charging icon led has turned green.  

Lock the car and leave it to charge. When returning simply unlock the car and use the unlock button next to the charging port to remove the cable. If the cable belongs to the car return to the boot. 

The fastest charging takes place between 10-80% battery capacity, outside of these charging is slower to protect the battery. Other factors also affect the charging rate such as – temperature (colder temperatures slow charging rate), the charging rate and the size of the battery. The EQC  supports rapid charging up to 110kW.  

Officially though between 0% to 100% these are the times:  

• At home with a 3-pin plug, 37 hours to charge, giving 7 miles per hour charged.  
• Home wallbox, 23 hours, 10 miles per hour charged. 
• 7kW Public charger, 12 hours, 19 miles per hour charged. 
• 22kW Public charger, 12 hours, 19 miles per hour charged.  
  
  From 20%-80%: 

• 50kW Public charger, 70 minutes, 68 miles per 30 minutes charged. 
• 150kW Public charger, 30 minutes, 150 miles per 30 minutes charged. 

At home to work out how much it will cost to charge your car, check the battery’s capacity and your electricity rate. For the EQC this is 85kWh and for myself 11p per kwh. 0.11x 85 = £9.35 for a range of up to 255 miles. This means that each mile costs 3p. Whilst individual situation will influence the cost. This is still a large cost saving compared to a regular petrol car such as an GLC which costs approx. 15p per mile.  

It is more likely that EQC users will take advantage of rapid charging. At a public charger the costs can vary. Some are free for customers such as Pod-Points at Tesco. Whereas others can cost money, using apps such as Pod-Point and Zap-Map you can see nearby chargers, if they are available and how much they cost. Quite a common cost for public chargers was 30p per kWh or a flat rate connection fee often around £1 then free after. The rapid chargers I found at service stations also cost around 30p per kWh which whilst costing more than at home is much quicker to charge and still costs less than running a combustion engine car. 

The EQC can be charged with a Type 2 at home, work or at a public charging point. There is also a CCS connector for rapid charging at 110kW.  

It may not be possible to have a home charger installed at home due to reasons such as not having off-road parking, renting or having parking not close enough to your home.  

In these situations it is still possible to run an electric car. In fact with cars that support rapid charging it may be more beneficial to use a rapid charger once a week to keep the battery topped whilst not inconveniencing the driver. It is most convenient to charge an electric car where it is parked (which is almost 95% of the time for a car), using chargepoints at these locations. For most people this is at home but other frequent destinations may also have chargepoints such as work, shopping centres and leisure centres. Then less frequent longer journeys can benefit from on-route rapid chargers found at service stations.  

Workplace charging and charging as part of a commute such as at a train station car park, in more normal times in particular serves as a good opportunity for people who cannot charge at home. As people often spend over 8 hours at work which is plenty of time to charge the car and most people’s commutes are less than 30 miles. I know that with my commute of 8 miles, I could commute everyday of the week in the EQC and only have the charge the car once every three weeks. 

The EQC uses regenerative braking to recover energy which would usually be wasted when braking.  

The regen braking has three different modes to control how much regen takes place. In its strongest setting the car can be driven with one pedal and in its weakest the car will just free roll.  

There is also an auto setting which uses the car’s cameras, radars and GPS data to predict upcoming traffic and road conditions to decide when to use the regen braking to slow the car and recuperate energy rather than using the brakes and wasting this.  

Therefore, you set the regen braking to be really weak and it will drive like a normal car or you can increase the regen braking to maximise efficiency. 

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The EQC is likely to need a service every year or 15,000 miles. Servicing is less than a comparable combustion engine car due to the fewer moving parts in an electric car. Inchcape supplies service plans so that you can spread the cost of servicing over fixed monthly payments.  

The EQC also comes with a three-year warranty for the car and an eight-year warranty for the battery. If the battery falls below 70% of it as new condition they will replace or refurbish it within the eight year period.  

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The EQC has an official electric range of up to 255 miles. I found it was easily capable of returning over 200 miles range without adapting my driving style and having the climate control set to how it would be in a petrol car. It is worth noting it was over 25 degrees so the air conditioning was working hard.  

Therefore, with more careful driving and using the Eco mode I would expect over 230 miles to be achievable. Plus the EQC supports rapid charging so 20-80% battery charge can be achieved in 30 minutes.  

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The Mercedes EQC benefits from a range of low tax, grants and exemptions. The car benefits from £0 road tax, London Congestion Charge exemption (although a £10 admin fee is still required each year) and free entry into Ultra Low Emission Zones.  

Company car drivers benefit as well as the BIK value is 1% for 2021/22 at a value of £657. 2% for 2022/23 and 2023/24. Whereas, a Mercedes GLC would have a BIK value of 34%, so the EQC offers big savings.  

It is eligible for the OZEV EVHS Grant (Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme) grant which contributes £350 towards the cost of installing a wall box. This can be further backed with an EST (Energy Saving Trust) Domestic Charge Point Grant if you live in Scotland.

The Mercedes-Benz EQC has ambient lighting throughout the interior which can be configured in one of 64 different colours. The function also supports animation via the lighting to support a range of functions such as navigation, changing settings and the energizing package. 

The augmented navigation uses the front facing camera and GPS data to augment navigation information over the camera recording. Information display can include arrows to show which turning to make, super imposed house numbers and other functions, all of which are displayed on the central screen. 

This pack combines a range of features which can provide a range of functions such as refreshing you, training, vitality and power nap. The system uses the car’s features such as air conditioning, ambient lighting, sound and massage function to relax the driver or invigorate them. Training mode helps combat muscle tension with a range of exercises which can be completed behind the wheel. 

Saying ‘Hey Mercedes’ will activate the personal assistant which responds to almost every word and can process indirect speech. It supports a range of functions such as setting vehicle settings like the climate control, telling you vehicle information, updating you on the news and weather and finding local points of interest. 

The Mercedes-Benz EQC is a practical car with seating for five adults and plenty of leg and head room. 

At the rear is a 500-litre boot and 1,060 with the sears down. There is storage under the boot floor and a spare wheel. Even more impressive is that the EQC can tow a weight up to 1,800kg so if you have a caravan or trailer the EQC may be the perfect electric car for you. 

The EQC is a brilliant electric car which reinforces the brand’s values and helps move it forwards in the electric automotive industry.  

It is packed with technology which the driver can either enjoy and use to its full ability or switch off and leave alone and the EQC will be as simple to use as any other Mercedes product. With the perfect balance of style, luxury, performance and efficiency the EQC will appeal and suit a range of buyers.  

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