Mercedes unveils new Electric generation at the Paris Motor Show PHOTO: SCREENGRAB
The new EQ brand revealed by the German automaker embodies its ideas about designing vehicles "based on an architecture developed specifically for battery-electric models." Mercedes said the underlying architecture of the EQ brand was versatile enough to also be used for saloons, coupes, cabriolets, and other models, thanks to a modular component system.
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The new Mercedes electric brand EQ showed off in Paris. PHOTO: SCREENGRABThe Generation EQ replaces side mirrors with cameras and disguises door handles and windshield wipers to emphasise a clean aerodynamic shape. It's a reinterpretation of Mercedes' design philosophy and aims to set a distinctive new "electro-look" for the company, Daimler head of design Gorden Wagener said.
The new Mercedes electric brand EQ showed off in Paris. PHOTO: SCREENGRABThe Generation EQ features two electric motors, one on each axle, that can produce 300kW of power and last for as long as 500km (310 miles) on a single charge of the battery integrated into the vehicle floor. Mercedes also envisions fast charging solutions that will add 100 miles of extra range to the car from just five minutes of charging. The Generation EQ can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under five seconds.
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"The mobility of the future at Mercedes-Benz will stand on four pillars: Connected, Autonomous, Shared and Electric. Generation EQ is the logical fusion of all four pillars," Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche.
The Generation EQ will also include information from HERE maps so that the car can know "the precise curve radii as well as the position and size of a roundabout. The vehicle can then automatically adjust the speed and driving dynamics to give the driver even greater comfort and relaxation."
The new Mercedes electric brand EQ showed off in Paris. PHOTO: SCREENGRABMercedes plan to move towards a "sensor fusion" whereby data from a variety of sensors is combined into one system, making the cars assistive at first and autonomous eventually. If you want connectivity, Car-to-X technology inside the Generation EQ allows it to exchange info with smart city infrastructure or other cars to help accident prevention. It will also help the car know about nearby recharging opportunities and alert the driver if reaching the given destination on the current charge becomes unfeasible.
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Speaking to journalists at the Paris Motor Show on Thursday, Zetsche said the automaker was preparing a major push in pure electric vehicles thanks to advances in battery technology and greater consumer acceptance of zero-emissions vehicles. Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands will launch more than 10 electric cars by 2025, and zero-emission vehicles will make up between 15% and 25% of overall Mercedes sales by then, Zetsche said.
Mercedes claims the Generation EQ is close to production. The Mercedes-Benz Generation EQ is just one of many major debuts at this year's Paris Motor Show, so brace for more innovations as the auto show gathers steam.
This article originally appeared on TheVerge.
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