The new brand encompasses all key aspects of user-oriented electromobility and goes beyond the vehicle itself. EQ comprises a complete electromobility ecosystem of products, services and technologies. The spectrum ranges from electric vehicles, wallboxes and charging services to home energy storage systems.

"The future belongs to the electric drive. That is why we are investing heavily in a battery-electric fleet and in battery technology - including as energy storage for private and industrial use. With EQ, we are going one step further. Under this brand, we are pooling all our expertise in the field of intelligent electromobility from Mercedes-Benz," says Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales, explaining the important step taken by the car manufacturer.

The vehicle with permanent all-wheel drive has two electric motors that can deliver up to 300 kW / 408 hp thanks to scalable battery components. The range is up to 500 km. The maximum torque is 700 Nm.

Generation EQ combines all charging technologies: The vehicle is prepared for charging at home via induction or wallbox as well as for fast charging. Mercedes-Benz energy storage systems could form an ideal symbiosis with the wireless charging system via induction or wallbox in the future. Households that have their own photovoltaic system and buffer their surplus solar power in a Mercedes-Benz energy storage unit will thus benefit from a supply option with green electricity that is largely independent of the energy market.

Focus on driver relief

The cockpit of the study, which is based on a cross-model vehicle architecture, dispenses with classic switches and buttons. Touch controls integrated into OLED displays are installed in two of the three narrow steering wheel spokes. They display appropriate icons and symbols in the respective menu; thanks to the touch function, the driver can scroll through the various menus and confirm their selection with a click. The 24-inch TFT widescreen in HD quality brings all relevant information such as speed, range, driving data or navigation and map topics into focus. It is up to the driver's personal preference whether the information density should be low and the design therefore uncluttered, or whether more content should be displayed. The information density can be increased step by step from a digital display to a one- or two-dimensional instrument.

Instead of conventional exterior mirrors, Generation EQ has cameras that project the image of traffic behind onto integrated displays in the doors. Both the door openers and the electric windows are operated using touch elements. The vehicle, which is equipped with four individual seats, is also characterized by a sophisticated lighting architecture.

The driver is supported by various assistance systems: Together with the high-precision map material from Here, the systems recognize, for example, the exact curve radii as well as the position and size of a traffic circle. The vehicle can then automatically adjust its speed and driving dynamics. EQ is thus taking a further step towards autonomous driving, always with safety in mind and in compliance with legal regulations. Particular attention is paid to sensor fusion.

In addition, the vehicle has Car2X technology and can exchange information with the infrastructure and other vehicles - an ideal basis for a range of new assistance functions that supplement existing systems and thus take a further step towards accident prevention. Information about charging options in the surrounding area is also helpful for the driver. As soon as Generation EQ realizes that the destination cannot be reached with the available battery charge, it informs the driver of the corresponding options on the navigation map.

3D real-time map display from Here

Another highlight is the highly detailed 3D city view with a pioneering design. The technical basis for this is the Here map platform. For example, when searching for points of interest, restaurants, shopping facilities and sights can be highlighted. Other buildings fade elegantly into the background. Another focus in the design of the new maps is the reduction of visual complexity during the journey: the driver only sees the buildings and information relevant to navigation. The interplay between the cockpit and the map is extraordinary - the buildings on the map reflect detailed reflections of the instrument lighting. At the same time, the map display also provides a preview of new functions specifically for electric vehicles: the driver is given information on charging stations and where inductive charging is possible along the route. A display of the current energy consumption along the route driven is also integrated into the highly detailed display.