Mercedes-Benz is bringing a limited edition of the
EQC electric SUV to the New York Auto Show. It’s called the EQC Edition 1886
in honor of the year when Mercedes-Benz claims it birthed the automobile. On
January 29, 1886, Carl Benz applied for a patent for a “vehicle powered by a
gas engine.” In July 1886, the three-wheeled car made its first appearance and
history was made as the era of fossil-fueled mobility began.
Mercedes-Benz believes it is now at a similar point
in time as it prepares to mark the beginning of a new electric-powered era. To
mark the occasion, the automaker has released a special edition of its upcoming
EQC battery-powered SUV.
Mercedes claims the EQC Edition 1886 features numerous special touches. For
starters, it only comes in metallic high-tech silver paint and it features a
black panel radiator “grille” with gloss black louvers and edges. It also
sports a gloss black fender badge with blue 1886 lettering, as well as gloss
black 20-inch wheels with white accents.
Inside, it gains Indigo Blue and Black seats
featuring a new design in MB-Tex vinyl and Dinamica microfiber. Other specific
features include the “Edition 1886” embroidery into the seats and center
console, as well as the “EQC” lettering embroidered in the floor mats.
Mercedes has also
equipped the EQC Edition 1886 with many extras including the Energizing package
designed to keep the driver alert, Burmester Surround Sound System,
power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats with memory, and an array of
driver assistance systems.
Mercedes doesn’t say if the special edition EQC
features any powertrain changes but we’d doubt it. The standard model packs two
electric motors that produce 402 hp and 764 Nm of torque,
allowing the SUV to go from 0 to 96 km/h in 4.9 seconds. An 80 kWh
lithium-ion battery gives the EQC a range of up to 471 km.
The Mercedes EQC 1886 Edition will be available in
the United States in 2020.
