Mercedes Confirms EQB 7-Seat Electric SUV Launch By Year End

It will be the first all-electric seven-seater offering in the country

• EQB is the electric version of the GLB, a boxier alternative to the GLC.

• It has a 66.5kWh battery pack for a claimed range of up to 419km with a dual-motor powertrain.

• The interior of the EQB looks quite conventional, even more so than that the new C-Class’.

• It would be offered in its seven-seater layout as a rival to the Volvo XC40 Recharge.

• If launched in India as a locally-assembled model, it could be priced from Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Mercedes-Benz EQB made its global debut in April 2021, shortly after the EQS. It is the third electric SUV in Mercedes’ lineup and has now been confirmed for India as well. 

The EQB has more in common with the GLB than the EQS as it is based on the EVA platform and not the EVA 2 architecture. It is primarily a five-seater but it does get two foldable seats in the third-row that are suitable for children. 

Mercedes gave the EQB a somewhat boxy shape as a spacious compact SUV with similar dimensions to the GLC. It has the typical EV design details of the Mercedes EQ lineup such as the gloss panel for the grille and closed off vents in the front bumper. The headlamps have the same design language as the EQS that flow seamlessly into the front panel that houses the three-star logo. 

The rear end features the new connected taillamps but the light signature is not connected. In the main taillamp section, it has a rectangular light signature while the light bar’s signature looks like a wide staple pin as it narrows in the middle. It has a chunky rear bumper and thick black cladding around the sides as well that lends it more of a rugged SUV aesthetic.

While the EQS has an evolutionary cabin design with the MBUX Hyperscreen, the EQB has a conventional dashboard layout. It gets the two integrated 12.3-inch displays for the digital instrument cluster and the infotainment system. The AC vents are fashioned in the usual turbine design with a triple-dial layout in the centre. Meanwhile, the climate controls are fitted into a very slim console with physical toggles.

The technical specifications for the EQB’s electric powertrain are as follows:

Mercedes debuted the EQB with two variants - 300 and 350, both with the brand’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive system. Despite the difference in performance, both versions have the same WLTP-rated range of more than 400km. Despite a smaller battery, the EQB 350 has the same range as the Volvo XC40 Recharge but offers slightly less performance.

• Volvo XC40 Recharge Price

The Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 will be the first locally-assembled EV from the luxury brand. If the EQB could also be introduced as CKD import, it could be priced from Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom). Mercedes has not specified the launch date, but confirmed that it will arrive in the final quarter of 2022. It will be the brand’s second electric SUV in India after the EQC.