Mercedes EQC range, battery and charging
The Mercedes EQC is competitive with its key rivals in terms of range, although a Tesla Model X will go further
| Range | Wallbox charging time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|
| 255 miles | 11hrs (10-100%, 7.4kW) | 40 mins (10-80%, 110kW) |
The Mercedes EQC’s official driving range of around 250 miles is better than an Audi e-tron, but falls short of the Jaguar I-Pace, BMW iX and Tesla Model X's figures. Our test drive suggested it’ll do well over 200 miles to a charge in mixed driving, or closer to 240 miles if you spend most of your time around town. However, it’s disappointing that the EQC’s fastest charge rate is 110kW, where the e-tron will take a 150kW charge.
Mercedes EQC range
The EQC has a claimed range of up to 255 miles from its 80kWh battery, which is lagging a little behind rivals like above-mentioned Model X, I-Pace and iX (the latter is capable of up to 380 miles in xDrive50 guise). On our first test route around Norway, which took in mostly sedate A-roads or urban streets, we saw an indicated real-world range of well over 200 miles, which is comparable to both the I-Pace and e-tron.
However, when testing the EQC in the UK to see what it was like to live with, we were only seeing around 180 miles on a charge. But if you do a lot of trundling about town and make good use of the regenerative braking (which, unusually, you must turn on using steering-wheel paddles), the range will increase.
Charge time
The EQC gets Type 2 and CCS sockets, which gives it access to the vast majority of public chargers. If you can find a public rapid charger capable of delivering the EQC’s fastest 110kW charge time, then you can get a 10-80% charge in about 40 minutes. Plug into a dedicated 7.4kW home wallbox and you can expect a full charge in around 11 hours.
You have to use a public rapid charger to get anything more than that 7.4kW charging speed. These plug in to the CCS port on the rear wing of the car using a cable permanently tethered to the charging station. A 50kW charger will top the EQC up from 10% to 80% in around 90 minutes, while one offering speeds of 100kW or more will do the same in around 40 minutes. While this is respectably quick, if you expect to take longer trips that require frequent charging stops, note that the BMW iX can charge at up to 200kW.
The Mercedes has a water-cooled on-board charger and thermal battery management, which pre-heats the batteries in advance of charging (as long as the system knows a charge is imminent). It then keeps the batteries cool while charging takes place, which promises good things for the longevity of the battery.
