Photo: S. Baldauf/Guido ten Brink
The 2016 Paris Motor Show will remain in history as the moment Mercedes-Benz introduced EQ, its all-new electric mobility brand, and the world stood and watched. This isn't just a pivotal moment for the German manufacturer, but for the whole of the automotive industry as well.
What we're about to say may sound a little insulting to the likes of Renault, Nissan or Chevrolet who have been quite active in the EV segment for a while, but it's Mercedes-Benz's announcement today that really marks the point where the traditional carmakers acknowledge the fact that they essentially need to become Tesla.
Mercedes didn't exactly put it in these words, but if you read between the lines - and it's not exactly difficult - this is what you get. The EQ brand isn't just a new range of vehicles - it's not the "i" range from BMW. It offers an integrated solution for everything that has to do with electric mobility, from the cars themselves to wallboxes, charging services, and even home energy storage units. Sounds familiar? Next thing you know, Mercedes will announce it's also building a network of charging stations.
Well, the Germans are already providing all of this one way or another, but they're not doing it in an integrated way that's easy to use and understand. Bringing it all together under the EQ umbrella will solve that, adding to the truth behind Mercedes-Benz's claim to offer the "best customer experience."
"The electric drive is the future. That's why we're investing massively in a battery-electric fleet and in battery technology – including as an energy store for private and industrial use. With EQ, we're going a step further. Under this brand, we're bundling our entire know-how regarding intelligent electric mobility from MercedesBenz," said Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for MercedesBenz Cars Sales.
There you have it, black on white, from the brand that invented the automobile more than 100 years ago: the future of the car is electric. And unlike the past few years, Mercedes seems to finally put its money where its mouth is and do something worth mentioning about it. No more regular models getting converted to EV: there is a new, separate brand that, over (lots of) time, will undoubtedly become synonymous with the Mercedes name. And it all started on the floor of the 2016 Paris Motor Show. History in the making, guys.
Mercedes didn't exactly put it in these words, but if you read between the lines - and it's not exactly difficult - this is what you get. The EQ brand isn't just a new range of vehicles - it's not the "i" range from BMW. It offers an integrated solution for everything that has to do with electric mobility, from the cars themselves to wallboxes, charging services, and even home energy storage units. Sounds familiar? Next thing you know, Mercedes will announce it's also building a network of charging stations.
Well, the Germans are already providing all of this one way or another, but they're not doing it in an integrated way that's easy to use and understand. Bringing it all together under the EQ umbrella will solve that, adding to the truth behind Mercedes-Benz's claim to offer the "best customer experience."
"The electric drive is the future. That's why we're investing massively in a battery-electric fleet and in battery technology – including as an energy store for private and industrial use. With EQ, we're going a step further. Under this brand, we're bundling our entire know-how regarding intelligent electric mobility from MercedesBenz," said Ola Källenius, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for MercedesBenz Cars Sales.
There you have it, black on white, from the brand that invented the automobile more than 100 years ago: the future of the car is electric. And unlike the past few years, Mercedes seems to finally put its money where its mouth is and do something worth mentioning about it. No more regular models getting converted to EV: there is a new, separate brand that, over (lots of) time, will undoubtedly become synonymous with the Mercedes name. And it all started on the floor of the 2016 Paris Motor Show. History in the making, guys.
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