Theo Austin
And for those who can afford it, the logistics of running it can be challenging, to say the least.
It wasn’t so much a test drive as a logistics challenge. Ireland may be warmly embracing electric cars (the search figures on Carzone.ie alone are a testament to that) but the reality of owning and running an electric car here is quite a daunting one. And it doesn’t really matter whether you are opting for a top-end Mercedes or a more ordinary Nissan Leaf, because right now our charging infrastructure is a challenge guaranteed – in many places – to practically induce range anxiety on its own.
On the basis that most electric cars in Ireland are sold and driven in Dublin and Cork, I thought the ideal test journey for the new Mercedes EQC would be Dublin to Cork and back. Easy access to fast chargers en route -and presumably easy access in Cork would make it a bit of a doddle – with no risk of range anxiety. Surely nothing could go wrong?
The car was fully charged and indicated an available range of 286 kilometers as I set off. This struck me as odd, as Mercedes claims the car has a range of between 375 and 417 kilometers. I’ve never bought into claimed ranges for electric cars – or fuel consumption for petrol or diesel cars – and this was a useful reminder to stick to that philosophy. So, 286 it would be.
But, back to the EQC, a rather smooth and expensive electrified version of other cars on Mercedes’ current platform. The lack of an engine and things like a radiator have given the architects an opportunity to make it a smooth looking SUV with some very nice, soft lines on the exterior. The rear slopes quite dramatically to give the car a much sleeker profile than would be the case with other SUVs of this size.
The absence of roof rails makes it even more smooth but the running board below the driver and passenger doors does not make for easy entry or egress.
It has adequate space but it’s not overly generous. The battery doesn’t greatly impinge on interior space, fitted as it is in the floor space.
You do, however, produce zero grams of CO2 per kilometer but that will also be the case with other Mercedes models coming down the tracks – more half of them will be fully electric in six years’ time. In my case, I’ll just have to wait.
