My Mercedes-Benz EQC

We love showing you the faces behind our Mercedes-Benz cars: our wonderful customers! Today we’re getting the lowdown from Sarah who purchased her new all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC with us. We wanted to catch up with her and see how she’s getting on with her emission-less Mercedes-Benz.

What made you choose an electric Mercedes-Benz?

"All my life I have driven diesel cars, I have a horse, a large dog and make long journeys regularly, so the decision to switch to an electric vehicle was not taken without a lot of consideration. I opted for the EQC for a number of reasons. Notably, its towing capacity is 1800kgs and I’d like to take my horse on shorter journeys in a trailer and it has a good sized boot, not huge but ample.

Its range is adequate so that my journey to and from work (45 miles each way) would be covered with a little extra left over for unexpected journeys. It has paddle shifters, which enables regenerative braking to slow the car in ice and snow without needing to use the brakes. And, the drive and feel – it’s luxurious and it’s not emitting any CO2 as I travel, with 0-60mph in 5 seconds… that’s an experience a petrol or diesel car would struggle to match."

How does it fit into your lifestyle?

"Living in the country, I need all wheel drive capability, the ability to tow my horse in a trailer and good ground clearance. The EQC has that – okay it’s a little lower to the ground than I’d like, so an electric G-Class would be the dream – but, right now with the Benefit in Kind taxation and my company car choice list supporting it in my band at a competitive rate, it’s the right car for now.

he leather seats on the AMG Line model are also really good for my robust lifestyle. The fact that it has cruise control, you can preheat the vehicle before you leave in the morning and its heated seats mean that setting off on a cold day feels so much better than before – no defrosting and scraping windows – off you go, and the pre-heat doesn’t affect the range if it’s plugged in at my home charger."

What’s been the biggest change to get used to?

"Planning to charge on longer journeys and finding fast chargers to support the journey has definitely been a shift from filling up at a petrol station. I recently went on a 300-400 mile trip and using apps to support my journey I found 350kw and 150kw chargers, en route. However, those chargers were located at fast food outlets and not at my destination so it did mean needing to refuel myself as we stopped.

Right now, I believe I fall into the ‘early adopter’ category, so I’m benefiting from the Government’s benefit in kind taxation on EVs but while the infrastructure develops, I’ve got to accept some compromises. Adopting a 100% electric vehicle may not be for everyone right now, but if you think a little differently about the problems you might encounter you can find a solution.

For example, before a longer journey I make sure I charge to 100% at home which gives me maximum range. That decision minimises rapid charging needs on my way – and they’re not cheap either – so it’s saving me money and time."

Do you primarily charge at home or out and about?

"At home – I mean, I’ve almost got a petrol station on my doorstep – why wouldn’t I? For people who can’t have a charger installed at home, if you live in a location which is well served by public charging infrastructure it’s a lot easier. For me, there aren’t many public charge-points nearby so before I ordered my EQC I investigated getting a charge-point installed and went for a 7kw charger which was installed by PodPoint.

ue to the timeframes, I was lucky enough to benefit from the Government’s OLEV grant, which reduced the price of a faster charger down to a more affordable level. Honestly, my experience of charging on the go has been pretty hit and miss. My ‘work arounds’ include: register and download charge-point apps, this saves you time standing at the public charger and trying to register your vehicle in the cold.

Charge as much as you can at home – e.g. to 100%. Look for faster chargers if you don’t have a lot of time to charge on your journey i.e. 150kw and above, but anticipate charging to take longer than you expected. Ideally, it’s best to charge at the place you’re staying for longest, so if you’re staying overnight charge while you’re there."

What were the biggest benefits of going electric for you?

"The experience of getting a luxurious zero-emission vehicle at an affordable price through my employer must be the top benefit. The size and the driving capabilities of the car outweigh the charging infrastructure challenges. And also, men asking ‘is that your car’ – it’s funny how old preconceptions still exist when it comes to cars, particularly if my partner is with me and sitting in the passenger seat."

What's your favourite feature on the EQC?

"I love the paddle shifters for regenerative braking and seeing how many miles I’ve saved on a journey with the eco-analysis on the EQC. It’s a much more relatable term than mpg in petrol or diesel cars and it makes me feel good that driving efficiently is saving me time and money spent charging up en route."

What would you say to someone who’s considering buying an electric vehicle?

1. Chat to people before you make the switch to understand how an electric vehicle will fit your lifestyle and travel needs. There’s lots to learn from seasoned EV drivers, like tips to maximise range in cold weather, charging tips, pre-heating/cooling and learning what works well for them.
   
   
2. Research your vehicle choices then go and test drive them. Once I had test driven the EQC I knew that it would work for me and it gave me an idea of the real drivability, size and feel of the car you just can’t get from looking at a brochure or website.
   
   
3. Check out your options for installing a charge point at your home, or charging locally, before you make the switch. The infrastructure is developing quickly, but it’s still got a way to go before it’s widespread, as such it might be best to wait a little while before making the switch. There are lots of apps like Zap Map, WattsUp and others which enable you to see your local charging options or opportunities to charge on longer regular journeys.
   
   
4. Don’t feel overwhelmed by the technology and jargon used by the industry. Once your vehicle is set up, you know how to charge and work your charge point and you’ve done a few longer journeys, you’ll be flying. Initially, I definitely felt like a needed an EV degree to understand things – but it all becomes par for the course as you become accustomed to the technology.
   
   
5. Some people are convinced by plug-in hybrid vehicles, but personally I’m not. I’ve test driven a few and come to my own conclusion that if you’re going electric go 100% EV or stick with a super-efficient petrol or diesel engine until you’re able to make the switch. There are some hybrid options which don’t have a plug or need to carry a heavy battery, so they might be best for you if you’re not served by the current electric choice of models or vehicle range today.

The stunning EQC was the first vehicle to join the Mercedes-Benz all-electric range, the EQ range. With a body shape that sits part way between an SUV and an SUV Coupe, the EQC provides you with that SUV feel but without being too bulky on the road. The EQC’s body shape doesn’t comprise its speed either, reaching 62 mph in only 5.1 seconds due to its instant acceleration electric motor.

The EQC also boasts Mercedes-Benz’s new User Experience System MBUX. In addition to natural voice recognition and multi-point touch control of the standard features, MBUX facilitates a range of functions within the EQC that are exclusive to the new range. This includes remaining range, charge status, energy flow and optimised navigation (which calculates the fastest route accounting for charging stops and charging time).

If you would like to test drive the Mercedes-Benz EQC at your local Mercedes-Benz South West dealership, contact us a member of our team will get in touch shortly.