Mercedes EQB
2022 onwards
There aren't that many options if you are in the market for a seven seat vehicle and want an electric powertrain, especially if you don't want something based on a van. Your choice, as I write this, is basically between the Tesla Model X, which hasn't been available as a new car in the UK for a couple of years, and the Mercedes EQB.
So, at the beginning of April 2023, I took an EQB for a 48 hour test drive.
I was actually initially only expecting to take the car for one night, but circumstances meant I had to get back to the dealer and request an extension. Happily, they agreed.
The world appears to have gone mad for SUVs and Crossovers and it's probably quite reasonable that manufacturers have focussed on this segment when launching new EVs, even though it does lead to an awful lot of criticism from people moaning about yet another boxy SUV.
I understand their frustration, but also see the benefits of the SUV style of vehicle.
On the Road
Sitting up high gives a great view of the road ahead and the EQB feels good when you push on.
Taking the Mercedes up the windy, tight roads to Coombe Gibbet might have been foolish, especially as it came after some wet weather, and she was a tad dirty when we reached the top, but it was good to see how well the car coped and how, in spite of its size, it was easy enough to squeeze past other vehicles at the passing points.
I would describe the EQB's handling as safe and secure, as it is not really and engaging or fun car to drive fast on single carriageway A and B roads. This is, after all, a tall SUV rather than a low slung sports car or saloon. That said, the low down weight of the batteries and decent steering and suspension means it is better than the internal combustion engined equivalents. It feels quite predictable and the instant torque available from the electric motor is quite capable of putting a smile on your face.
The electric motor is quiet and responsive, meaning that you don't have the noise intrusion of a motor and gearbox, nor the vibrations this brings. What it does do, is amplify the road noise due to poor road surfaces.
The controls were easy to use whilst on the move and I felt very comfortable driving it, whichever roads I was on.
One surprise was that the EQB didn't have adaptive cruise control, or Distronic in Mercedes speak. Given that Mercedes were one of the pioneers of this technology, I really had expected this to be standard across the Mercedes range and especially so on their electric vehicles. However, it would seem that the worldwide shortage of microchips meant that this feature has been removed from the EQB range.
Whilst the EQB’s regenerative brakes, in their strongest setting, can slow the car significantly, they don't quite bring the car to a complete stop. The EQB cannot therefore be driven with just one pedal. This is a shame, as it's a feature that I really liked on some of the cars I've driven.
The Interior
The Mercedes is a really nice place to be, as a driver or a passenger.
The quality of the materials is first class and it is an extremely nice car. The EQB is a luxury SUV and it feels like that inside. The seats were a mix of man-made leather and dinamica microfibre, which were extremely comfortable.
The two screens were clear and easy to use, with the ability to configure the one used as the instrument binnacle to suit your preference. Everything worked well, without the lagging issues found in many cheaper cars, and everything felt really intuitive.
The EQB can comfortably seat four adults and a couple of children in the third row seats, or two adults and up to five kids for those times when you're driving your own offspring's friends (or if you have lots of kids of your own).
Verdict
The EQB is one of the only car based, seven seat electric vehicles available in the UK market at the moment and it is a very good car. It drives well and provides a spacious, comfortable environment in which to get from A to B. It isn't cheap, but then not many EVs can be described as cheap.
If you have the budget and want a means to carry more than four passengers in an electric car, this is probably the best option available, at least brand new.
The ranges stated in the above table are approximations based upon the combined cycles (city and main roads) in the cold and in warmer weather. These are not guarantees and they are not based upon the experience from my test drive.
You can find lots of information about electric vehicles, past and current, at http://www.ev-database.org
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