2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB: compact 7-seat EV flexibility
Mercedes-Benz’s electric journey has continued with the reveal of the EQB, an SUV available as a five- or seven-seater that’s due here in 2022.
The compact SUV based on the GLB continues the rapid-fire three-pointed star EV onslaught that has recently included the EQS and EQA, adding to the EQC that went on sale in 2019.
While Mercedes-Benz has developed its Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA) for the EQS and soon-to-be-revealed EQE (a large electric sedan), the EQB utilises an adapted version of the GLB platform that places the batteries within a frame made of extruded sections.
The EQB will naturally fight with the Tesla Model Y, a car that has been delayed for Australia but one expected on sale in the next 12 months.
With pricing still uncertain on both cars it’s not clear which will reset the bar for pricing of a seven-seat SUV.
While plenty is shared with the GLB, the EQB also gets unique styling elements, including the distinctive EQ enclosed grille – something that helps lower the drag coefficient to 0.28 – and unique wheels.
There are also LED strips that cover the width of the car front and rear.
The 2829mm wheelbase is identical to that of the GLB, although at 4634mm long it is 50mm shorter due to its unique bumpers. The two are both 1834mm wide.
The EQB will be built in China and Hungary with “international” versions, including those coming to Australia, to come from Hungary.
Multiple EQB models, single and dual-motor
Mercedes-Benz says the EQA will have “several models with front-wheel and all-wheel drive”.
As with other EQ models – including the EQS – Mercedes-Benz Australia is covering its bases by registering more names than it will ever use.
The include EQB200, EQB250, EQB260, EQB300, EQB320, EQB350 and EQB360.
The first to be confirmed is the EQB250.
Few details have been revealed, but Mercedes-Benz has confirmed it will be a single motor driving the front wheels. It would make sense that the EQB250 would use the same motor as the EQA250, which means 140kW375Nm.
Mercedes-Benz says there will also be an EQB350 4Matic, which adds a rear motor and makes more than 200kW in total.
A 66.5kWh battery is claimed to offer a WLTP range of 419km. AC charging can be done at up to 11kW while DC charging increases that to 100kW, promising a 10-80 percent charge in a little over 30 minutes.
Just to confuse things, there will be some unique elements to the EQBs manufactured and sold in China, with Benz confirming one will make precisely 215kW.
Seven-up
The EQB will be offered globally with five- and seven-seat layouts, as with the GLB it shares so much with.
Given Mercedes-Benz Australia has chosen only to offer seven-seat models locally, it makes sense the EQB would also be offered with seven seats, although details will be confirmed closer to the 2022 on-sale date.
While the third row seats of the GLB are claimed to accommodate people up to 168cm tall, with the EQB that’s reduced to 165cm tall.
The luggage capacity of the seven-seat model is also reduced slightly due to the electric configuration. For the EQB the luggage capacity ranges from 465 to 1620 litres compared with 565 to 1800 litres for the GLB.
All of which suggests the packaging of the batteries has impacted space compared with the GLB ICE version.
How much will the EQB cost?
As for EQB pricing, it’s an open book at the moment.
The GLB starts at $60,200 for the GLB200 or $74,100 for the GLB250 4Matic, each before on-road costs.
Considering the EQA has a near-$10K price premium over the GLA250, guesses are that an EQB250 would start at about $85,000.
Obviously the dual motor AWD models would be north of that.
But all will become clearer closes to its 2022 Australian on-sale date.
