Mercedes-Benz EQC headlines EQ brand resurgence in Malaysia
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has staged a comeback for the EQ brand in Malaysia. Having shelved plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models like the C350e and E350e last year, the electric-focused division of Stuttgart returns with the all-electric EQC at the forefront. The C300e and S560e complete a trifecta of energy-efficient Mercs, with the latter being the only one that goes on sale today.
A replacement of sorts for the pre-facelift W222 S400h that sold in droves by S-Class standards, the S560e packs a 367bhp V6 engine paired with a 90kW electric motor and 9G-Tronic Plus transmission. The combined output is an impressive 475bhp, good for propelling the hefty limousine from 0-100kph in five seconds flat. Top speed is rated at 250kph.
This may all sound like a spirited improvement over the S400h, but the S560e is a thoroughly more advanced limousine due to its plugin architecture, facilitated by a 13.5kWh lithium-ion battery. This power reserve gives the S-Class a purported all-electric range of 50km. And once you deplete it, a full charge can be recovered in just under two hours of charging via a Wallbox Charger. You can charge it via a domestic outlet at home too, but that takes six hours in total which isn't too bad if you have an overnight charging routine.
The rest of the car is textbook S-Class, with air suspension, Magic Vision Control, Burmester surround sound, rear seat entertainment and a slew of driving assistance programs all part of the package. However, the car isn't finished in AMG Line bits like the non-electric S450L. At least not for now. There's only so much you can put into a car to keep its price competitive. And we think Mercedes-Benz did a pretty good job considering the S560e is estimated to cost RM658,888 - RM40k cheaper than the S450L's launch price.
Mercedes-Benz S560e CKD
Meanwhile, the EQC and C300e - the latter being a successor to the discontinued C350e - were displayed for preview purposes only. The EQC, Mercedes-Benz's first fully-electric model, hasn't even entered its global delivery cycle yet. Its appearance in Kuala Lumpur marks its debut in the South East Asian region. Our British colleagues just had a go in it recently, and you can read their review of the EQC right here.
To quickly recap, the EQC, in 400 4Matic format, packs a 300kW electric motor (equivalent to 408hp) with 760Nm of torque - yes, that's more torque than you'd get in a Ferrari 812 Superfast! Ultimately, efficiency still carries more weight than performance where the EQC is concerned, and its 80kWh battery will deliver approximately 450km of driving range (claimed), with no carbon emissions to note of.
Despite its numerical drop (from 350), the C300e packs more punch than the pre-facelift PHEV W205 C-Class it replaces. Its two-litre hybrid package generates a combined output of 320hp and 700Nm, enabling it to do the century sprint in a swift 5.2 seconds. The electric portion of the C300e is similar to that of the S560e, right down to its 13.5-kWh battery capacity, 50-km driving range and charging times. So it's a junior limousine in more ways than one.
Mercedes-Benz Malaysia is still looking into locally-assembling the C300e, which would allow it to join the CKD ranks of the recently-facelifted C200, C300 and C43 AMG (possibly at the expense of one). As before, the success of the EQ brand's revival rests a lot on affordability through localisation. The question is, are you ready for electrification?
Mercedes-Benz EQC
Mercedes-Benz C300e
