Mercedes EQB, the 7-seater electric SUV

Mercedes EQB, the 7-seater electric SUV

The zero-emission family of the Star expands with the Mercedes EQB, an SUV of almost 4.7 meters with more than 400 km of autonomy.

And 4: the electric range of Mercedes is expanding more and more, and a few days after the presentation of the super flagship EQS technology, the Mercedes EQB, a 7-seater SUV with 0 emissions, debuts at the Shanghai Motor Show. Therefore, as the name suggests, the battery-powered counterpart of the Mercedes GLB, compared to which it gains a few centimeters in length.

The EQB measures 4.68 meters, with 1.83 in width, 1.66 in height, and a wheelbase of 2.82 with a slightly lower trunk: the load volume ranges from a minimum of 495 (465 on the seven seats) to a maximum of 1,710 liters (1,620 for the 7-seater version), 90 less than the "sister" with classic internal combustion engines.

The style of the Mercedes EQB

Externally, the new Mercedes 7-seater electric SUV takes up the now-classic front end of the EQ family: closed grille in glossy black with the Star in the center surmounted by a light line that crosses it at the top to join the full LED headlights.

The luminous signature is typical of the electric models of Stuttgart, also seen at the rear, with the light line running along the entire width of the tailgate, ending with the lights that "trespass" on the side.

A GLB-style bodywork where functionality dictates many style details: the roof that does not linger in coupé lines so as not to penalize the habitability of the third row, like the tailgate almost perpendicular to the ground, to maximize load capacity.

And despite the "boxy" appearance, the cx achieves a meager aerodynamic coefficient value: just 0.28 (the GLB stops at 0.30). Thanks to new aerodynamic appendages and the almost wholly faired bottom.

The interior of the Mercedes EQB

Inside, the atmosphere is that of classic Mercedes. The dashboard is dominated by the double monitor of the MBUX system, horizontal lines, and general stylistic cleanliness. The physical buttons are now reduced to a minimum: air conditioning and steering wheel controls.

The rest is managed through the numerous screens on the central monitor, with menus dedicated to electric gear, or through the voice assistant. There are no particular technical specifications, and therefore we do not know if the MBUX has any new features compared to the rest of the range.

The real strength of the Mercedes EQB, however, is the space: beyond the load above volume, the new electric SUV from Mercedes there are 1,035 mm of headroom for the front passengers, while those who sit on the rear bench (capable of sliding in a longitudinal position of 140 mm and with reclining backrests) has 979 mm available.

The two seats in the third row, standard for the Chinese market and on request for the European one, offer passengers up to 1.65 meters high and Isofix attachments to accommodate a couple of child seats.

The engines of the Mercedes EQB

Based on the same platform as the EQA (the MFAII), the Mercedes EQB takes up the possibility of mounting a single engine on the front axle or a second coupled to the rear axle able to count on all-wheel drive. The complete range for Europe, where the 7-seater electric SUV of the Star will arrive by the end of 2021, has not yet been announced, but we know that the top of the range will exceed 200 kW (272 hp) of power.

The declared autonomy, calculated according to the WLTP cycle, is 419 km for the EQB 350, but there will also be versions with more powerful batteries and longer distances in the future. To recharge, you can connect to superfast columns with a capacity of up to 100 kW, thanks to which in 30 minutes, you can go from 10 to 80% of battery capacity.

Top-up that, thanks to the Mercedes I Charge plan, allows you to have access to over 500,000 points (from different suppliers) throughout Europe with payment.

Security and peace of mind

Emergency braking and the active anti-skid system will be part of the standard equipment of the Mercedes EQB, with the possibility of integrating them with other Level 2 driving assistance technologies, such as adaptive cruise control, active lane maintenance and turn to assist.

Furthermore, since it is an electric car when planning a trip using the onboard satellite navigator, the system takes care of finding the shortest route by calculating any stops to recharge the batteries, updating them in real-time topography of the terrain or to traffic conditions.

The prices of the Mercedes EQB

Coming to the European market by the end of 2021 (in China, it will be on sale sometime before), the Mercedes EQB does not yet have an official price list. Considering the approximately 51,000 euros (including VAT) of the EQA, a starting price of just under 60,000 euros is expected for the entry-level to rise to the top of the AMG Line range.