The 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC launch date in the U.S. has been pushed back yet again after what the German automaker described as a “comprehensive review of market developments.” The all-electric SUV was originally scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in early 2020, but Mercedes pushed back deliveries of the model by a year to early 2021. Now, it looks like we’re not going to see the EQC anytime soon.

The German automaker had big plans for the all-electric SUV when it hit the U.S. market. The EQC was supposed to compete with the Audi e-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and Tesla Model X in a growing segment in the market.

But it's not happening, at least not now. That decision could be tied to growing sentiment that the automaker may have rushed the development of the electric SUV so it could hit the market quickly. A lot of those complaints point to Merc's decision to not use the new Electric Vehicle Architecture on the EQC. Mercedes opted instead to use the X253 GLC-Class platform.

Perhaps Mercedes realized that the ECQ, in its current state, still isn’t ready to compete against other players in the EV SUV segment in the U.S., namely the Model X, which has far more clout as an electric SUV since it’s been in the market since 2015.

Competition in the segment has also become tougher as more electric SUVs are hitting the U.S. market. In addition to the e-Tron, I-Pace, and Model X, the EQC could also face some form of competition from the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Cadillac Lyriq, and the Tesla Model Y}.

On the other hand, the EQS luxury sedan is built on the new EV platform; it comes with all the advantages of having a dedicated architecture that the EQC does not have. That could explain why the EQS is now slated to be the first EQ model to hit U.S. shores. It will be unveiled this spring and hit U.S. dealerships later in the year.

As for the EQC, it could still hit the U.S. market in the future, but when that “future” will be is now anyone’s guess.

Mercedes-Benz EQC specifications