Mercedes-Benz to launch electric seven-seater EQB

General Guides  New Launches 

Mercedes-Benz is set to offer business users that want a compact seven-seat EV a lifeline with the forthcoming EQB.

The pure-electric SUV is one of the few electric cars available capable of seating seven, and at a lower leasing costs than anything else on the market currently.

With benefits such as 1% BIK (21/22) rising to 2% (22/23) and zero VED, as well as low running costs and employer tax incentives, the practical EQB looks set to prove a success with both fleets and private users, particularly for those that run a family car.

Due to launch with two models – the EQB 300 and EQB 350 – both use a 66.5 kWh battery, with power set at 168 kW (228hp) and 215 kW (292hp) respectively.

Charging times are as little as half an hour for the EQB, thanks to ultra-rapid 100 kW DC charging capabilities; 11 kW AC home, public, and workplace charging will take less than six hours for a full charge.

Features such as Navigation with Electric Intelligence sees the car suggest directions based on the most efficient routes, and will pre-condition the battery to put it in the optimum temperature range for high-power DC charging.

Unusually in the electric vehicle market, Mercedes-Benz has added seating for seven into the EQB as standard, with a third row of seats in the boot capable of being used by people up to 5 ft 4 inches tall, and child seats can be fitted in the rear.

Additional variants will boost the EQB line-up in due course, with varying range and power outputs offering greater choice for leasing customers. The EQB is the third pure-electric model to be launched in 2021, following the EQA compact SUV and EQS luxury saloon .

Trims and specifications are set to be confirmed closer to launch date, with rivals set to include the Polestar 2, VW ID.4 and Ford Mustang Mach-E – though none can offer seating for seven, putting the EQB in an ideal position.

Only the far larger and more expensive Tesla Model X or van-based MPVs such as the Peugeot e-Traveller and Mercedes-Benz's own EQV can seat seven or more as an electric-only model.

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