Merc EQC goes off-road

An off-road Mercedes-Benz EQC 4×4² has been developed.

A small team has created this drivable technology platform on the basis of an EQC 400 4MATIC (combined power consumption 21.3-20.2kWh/100km; zero CO2 emissions) with technical highlights including multi-link portal axles and “lampspeaker” headlights which also function as a loudspeaker for the Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS).

The EQC 4×4² is an electric car of extremes, says Mercedes-Benz which adds the one-off was developed by a cross-departmental team under development engineer Jürgen Eberle which has already put the E 400 All-Terrain 4×4² on its studded wheels.

“The EQC 4×4² shows how enjoyable sustainable mobility can be,” Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG management board member Markus Schäfer says.

“This is where electromobility high-tech and an intriguing customer experience are transferred to the mountains, thanks to MBUX and over-the-air updates.

“To put it succinctly, electric, progressive luxury goes off-road,” he says.

“This drivable study clearly shows that alongside a passion for e-mobility, we at Mercedes-Benz lay a strong claim to leadership in this sector and will heighten the emotional appeal of this even further in the future.”

With the EQC 4×4² as a technology platform, Mercedes-Benz shows that love of adventure can be combined with lifestyle and sustainability.

Its capabilities include driving through sand in deserts and on beaches, as well as traversing rocky terrain and mountain streams.

The EQC 4×4² can tow a trailer, add a roof-rack, and a roof-tent and inflatable dinghy.

At 293 millimetres, the EQC 4×4² rides more than twice as high as a production EQC (140 millimetres).

The fording depth is increased by 15 centimetres, to 40 centimetres, the extra ground clearance made possible by the conversion to portal axles where the wheels are much lower down on the axle hubs owing to the portal gears. Or conversely, the entire vehicle moves up. The 4×4² suspension is attached to the same body mounting points as the standard suspension.

Approach and departure angles are 31.8 degrees at the front and 33 degrees at the rear. In comparison, a conventional G-Class has an approach and departure angle of 28 degrees.

The reprogrammed Off-Road drive programs take advantage of the high-performance logic of the current GLC models. For example, using targeted brake interventions, this enables an improved torque curve when starting on loose ground. In combination with the tyres in size 285/50 R 20, this results in an impressive sure-footedness, Mercedes-Benz says.

Although the vehicle has 20-inch wheels, the turning circle is small thanks to the modern axle kinematics with four-link front axle.

The acoustic production comprises sounds that give the driver feedback on system availability and vehicle parking, as well as an interactive, emotionalising driving sound.