The electrified future looks bright for those who enjoy actually driving their vehicles. More automakers are finally diving into the battery electric fray and that means our choices are expanding. Mercedes fans will get the EQC SUV in 2020, but Mercedes-AMG enthusiasts should sit tight because a hotter version of the 200-mile EV will likely follow.
Speaking to the British publication Evo, Daimler Board Member and soon-to-be CEO Ola Källenius stated that he "can see a pairing between EQ and AMG." How will that work exactly? Well on a basic level it means more power. That's an enticing prospect considering the standard EQC should make 402 horsepower. It will do that through the combination of an 80-kwh lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor at each axle. Together, these components return a 0-60 mph time of just 4.9 seconds.
2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC
On an AMG version, that same battery pack would be linked to more powerful motors. That would prioritize performance over range, and we assume an AMG customer will be looking for exactly that.
Don't expect an AMG variant for at least a year or more after the standard electric SUV appears. Once it does, expect more EQ cars alongside it. Mercedes is working on an EQA compact hatchback and a top-tier EQS sedan.
For those itching for electric SUVs and crossovers today, the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace are currently on sale. Due soon are the Audi E-Tron, which is scheduled to arrive in early 2019. The more affordable Kia Niro EV doesn't have a release date, but hybrid and gas-powered Niros are already available, so it could come soon.
While we wait for the EQC, Mercedes-AMG plans to offer plug-in hybrids under the name EQ Power Plus name. Evo reports the vehicles are rumored to use the current twin-turbo V-8 aided by a powerful electric motor and they should arrive in 2020.
