MERCEDES-BENZ MALAYSIA outdid itself last year with its EQ range: the launch of five electric vehicle (EV) models is more than what most of the brands offered.
The EQA, EQB and EQC are its three electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) offerings and they took personalised design cues from the AMG Line.
Much like their non-EV counterparts, the drive performance is where they truly diverge. But this quality is heightened with the EQ-SUVs due to the nature of EV platforms themselves.
Mercedes' design choice is to make them drive as "normal" (or replicate non-EV driving) as much as possible through tuning.
So what the driver gets is not only the design and size but also how they fare on the road.
THE EQA 250
The entry level EQA 250 has a lithium-ion battery with a maximum voltage of 420V and a nominal capacity of 190Ah.
With an energy content of 66.5kWh, the compact SUV has a combined electric consumption of 17.6kWh/100km and a total range of 429km based on WLTP.
Its performance output is 140kW or 190hp, and 370Nm of torque. It can sprint from zero to 100kph in 8.9 seconds with a top speed of 160kph.
The exterior features a black panel radiator grille with central star, a continuous LED light strip at the front and rear and a horizontal fibre-optic strip that connects the daytime running lights of the full-LED headlamps with blue colour highlights.
The standard specifications include LED high performance headlamps with adaptive highbeam assist, the easy-pack tailgate with electrically operated opening and closing, 19-inch AMG five-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels, ambient lighting with 64 colours, a double cup holder, luxury seats with four-way adjustable lumbar support, a reversing camera and a multifunction sports steering wheel in leather.
The on-board charger provides up to 11 kW using alternating current (AC), which has a charging time from 10 per cent to 100 per cent SOC (11kW) of five hours 45 minutes. Direct current (DC) charging time from 10 per cent to 80 per cent SOC (100kW) is 32 minutes.
It is priced at RM296,888 on-the-road without insurance.
EQB 350 4MATIC
Size and space is the EQB 350 4Matic's real attraction among its "siblings". It shares the long 2,829mm wheelbase of the GLB and has a maximum boot capacity of 1,710 litres with the third row seats down.
Child seats can be fitted in the third row while the backrests of the seats in the second row can be adjusted in several stages.
Physically, it sports 19-inch five-spoke light-alloy wheels, polished aluminium roof rails, LED high performance headlamps, surround lighting with brand logo projection, vehicle key set (one key in rosÈ gold) and windscreen wipers with rain sensors.
The seats are wrapped in either two-tones rosÈ gold and titanium grey pearl Artico man-made leather or Cupertino fabric.
With an output of 215kW and 520Nm of torque, the SUV can accelerate from zero to 100kph in 6.2 seconds and has a top speed of 160kph.
Its high voltage battery with a usable energy content of 66.5kWh gives it an electric range of up to 423km, or consumption of up to 19.7 kWh/100km.
The AC charging time is six hours and 15 minutes while DC charging takes 32 minutes.
It comes with a recommended retail price of RM328,888.
EQC 400 4MATIC
Putting sportiness at the forefront, the EQC 400 4Matic features the AMG Line exterior and AMG bodystyling, 20-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels, aluminium-look running boards with rubber studs, multibeam LED headlights and windscreen wipers with rain sensors.
Adding to the theme are AMG Line interior with direct select shift paddles, the interior light package, and an aluminium-look trim with multifunction sports steering wheel in Nappa leather and the dashboard in man-made Nappa leather look with upholstery in leather black.
The comfort offerings include heat and noise-insulating acoustic glass, electrically adjustable front seats with memory function and a four-way lumbar support.
The Driving Assistance safety package includes the Active Distance Assist Distronic, pre-safe system and active steering assist.
The vehicle also comes equipped with the Urban Guard vehicle protection that features an anti-theft alarm system and an interior monitoring system.
Also included is the Parking Package with a 360-degree camera and active parking assist with Parktronic.
Other safety features that come as standard include a tyre pressure monitoring system, TIREFIT, knee airbags and the Mercedes-Benz emergency call system.
The vehicle has the Burmester surround sound system and a pre-installation for navigation services and hard-disc navigation.
It also has remote and navigation services, live traffic information and the standard smartphone integration featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The biggest highlight is its modular system design electric powertrain. It has two modules of 48 cells and four modules of 72 cells. The higher capacity voltage battery setup of 80.0 kWh gives it an electric range of 437km and electrical consumption of up to 25kWh per 100km.
With 300kW of output and 760Nm torque, the EQC can sprint from zero to 100 kph in 5.1 seconds and has a top speed of 180kph.
Its AC charging time from 10 per cent to 100 per cent SOC (11kW) is seven hours and 30 minutes, while the DC charging time from 10 per cent to 80 per cent SOC (110kW) is 40 minutes.
The EQC 400 4Matic comes with a recommended retail price of RM388,888.
EQ DECISION
The EQ models don't differ much from their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts physically.
Driver handling and passenger comfort is pretty much a shared experience and between the three, what's most obvious is the EQC's wider range of offerings and its more dominant performance.
It sounds fairly straightforward until you get to the feel of the drive. The more powerful EQC, for example, drives best on highways or long stretches of roads due to its superior performance tuning.
A simple press of the pedal gives lots of torque and power that will take some getting used to, especially in urban settings.
As it turns out, while the EQA may have a lower-capped speed limit, it drives most naturally when it comes to city driving. It has a more manageable power output that's sufficient for daily drives.
It also offers the closest drive sensation to that of ICE cars among the trio, which is something to consider if you prefer something more familiar to you.
The EQB, on the other hand, offers a great in-between mix if you can't decide on which to choose.
Just slightly more powerful than the EQA, it does miss out on the familiar non-EV drive feel but pedal control is less strict when compared to the EQC.
Its price also makes it the most practical of the trio if you consider its overall practicality - cabin height and size plus sufficient performance.
The big hit or miss is probably in its physical design, which is much more conservative than its siblings.
VERDICT
If your only concern is features alone, then certainly the more premium you go the more you get between the EQ-SUVs.
Hence, balance between design and performance is the main consideration that will require some managing of expectations.
There's no real "better" in what they each offer you since it is a mix-and-match of experiences for the three models.
I find the EQA to have a more controllable output and less sensitive pedal, which means it is less demanding on my active handling and foot.
This becomes a huge factor during heavy traffic and long commute periods on the road.
This also means I'm limiting my drive performance for when I need that extra speed and acceleration, to which the EQC is undoubtedly superior.
The EQB doesn't replace either as well. Instead, it offers a middle-ground with more cabin room but without going full premium on price.