Mercedes arrived at the 2021 Shanghai Auto with a new EV called the EQB. The company revealed the EQB less than a week after it took the wraps off another EV, the EQS. The EQS drew some polarizing opinions for its looks, but there’s no denying that it is a strong, competent product. Now, the automaker has unveiled this crossover that will hit the Chinese markets first and will then be launched in Europe later this year. It will arrive Stateside sometime in 2022.
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB (Euro Spec)
- Make: Array
- Model: 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB (Euro Spec)
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB Exterior
On the outside, the EQB comes with the typical EQ traits that we’ve seen on the EQC and the EQS so far. The single-pane black grille lining up to the headlights and the busy bumper look familiar. There are LED strips at the front and the back, again, something we’ve seen on the other EQ models. The roof rails and black plastic cladding give the car a sporty appearance. As is with all EVs these days, the EQB is also quite aero-efficient. It boasts a drag coefficient rating of 0.28, which is even better than the standard C-Class’ rating of 0.30.
The crossover will be offered with up to 20-inch wheels finished in dual-tone or tri-tone shades. The EQB measures 184.4 inches in length, 72.2 inches in width, and 65.6 inches in height. It has a 111-inch wheelbase which has allowed Mercedes to pack in an extra row of seats. The EQB shares its body-shell structure with the GLB. The company noted that the EQB is robust and comes with extra protection for the battery in the form of a guard on the outside. Even the packaging of the battery module is done in extruded sections.
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB exterior dimensions
|
Length |
184.4 inches |
|---|---|
|
Width |
72.2 inches |
|
Height |
65.6 inches |
|
Wheelbase |
111 inches |
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB Interior
Unless your SUV is big as a Tahoe or Suburban, the third-row will always be cramped. Mercedes took the liberty of mentioning that folks up to 5 feet 4 inches tall can seat here comfortably. I don’t remember any other automaker explaining the third-row space in this manner before. That said, kudos to Mercedes for being able to squeeze in three rows of seats in a vehicle that measures exactly the same as the 2021 Mercedes C-Class.
In the five-seat iteration, the crossover offers up to 60 cubic feet of space, and in the seven-seat, up to 57.2 cubic feet of cargo space. With all the seats in place, you have 17 cubic feet of space available behind the seats in the two-row model and 16 cubic feet behind the seats in the three-row model. The second-row seats are longitudinally adjustable up to 5.5 inches and this allows an additional 6.7 cubic feet of cargo space.
The cabin otherwise looks well laid out. It’s a typical modern Mercedes cabin where the digital instrument cluster and the touchscreen system are flanked in the same glass pane. There are a lot of contrasting elements here that make the cabin look a little vibrant. The aluminum-look all around may not please everyone, but these all could be region-specific elements and we might see a different vibe on the U.S.-spec model.
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB Powertrain, Battery, and Range
Mercedes is yet to give out the specifics, but it mentioned that the EQB will be offered in various permutations and combinations. Front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive models will be available. As for the power outputs, the automaker mentioned that some models will offer more than 268 horses, too.
Again no details on this front either, but Mercedes mentioned that the long-range version is also in the works. The maximum charging speed is 100 kW on the EQB and this allows recuperating from 10- to 80-percent in just 30 minutes. The highest AC charging speed is 11 kW courtesy of a standard onboard charger.
To give us a ballpark figure, the automaker noted that the EQB 4MATIC model will have a WLTP-estimated range of 260 miles and NEDC-estimated range of 279 miles on a full charge. This means an EPA-estimated range of around 225 miles could be on the cards for the all-wheel-drive trims. It doesn’t look like even the single-motor setup option will have a range of over 300 miles. The long-range model, perhaps, could breach the mark.
Conclusion
Many driver-assistance features like Active Lane Keeping Assist and Active Brake Assist come as standard. are equipped as standard. Assistance Package which includes exit warning function and turning maneuver function can be had for extra moolah.
The China-spec EQB will be produced in Beijing whereas the Euro-spec EQB will be manufactured at the automaker’s Kecskemét plant in Hungary. This will be the first all-electric production vehicle from the Hungarian plant and will be built alongside the A-Class plug-in hybrid.
There’s no word on the pricing whatsoever, but we speculate the U.S.-spec EQB to wear a starting price sticker of around $45,000.