Mercedes EQS vs Audi e-tron
We compare two electric SUVs. The first of many to come
Agood seven years after Tesla launched their full size cars, Mercedes and Audi have launched their wares in form of the EQC and the e-tron. Congratulations then!
So the Audi is mighty large at 4.9m in length and 1.9m in width. The Mercedes on the other hand is a tad smaller at 4.7m in length and 1.8m in width. The difference in dimension also shows up when it comes to space inside. The Audi being the larger one is more spacious than the Mercedes. Most importantly the battery sits under the floor in the Mercedes and as a result space on tap gets even more hindered. The Audi is also extremely stylish inside. There are large digital displays and the information provided is extremely detailed. While a lot of the overall de
A GOOD SEVEN YEARS AFTER TESLA
LAUNCHED THEIR FULL SIZE CARS, WE HAVE SOME NEW
OPTIONS
sign inside reminds one of the A6, we love the way the gear selector rises from the palm rest. The Mercedes on the other hand comes with a theatre style massive 10.2in instrument panel which displays everything you might desire. The model also comes with Merc’s new MBUX system. Much like the Audi, there are plenty of information to sift through. However the displays are richer and more involving.
The Mercedes also comes with an all wheel drive system without any mechanical couplings and hence the battery can sit in between. The EQC has a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 80kWh, which weighs 652kg. The maximum range claimed by Mercedes is between 445 and 471km to be precise.
The 95kWH Audi gets a 700kg lithium-ion battery pack. Audi claims a range of 411km which is respectable as well. The Audi also gets an electric motor up front offering 125kWH and another at the rear which churns out 140kWH. The Audi comes with unique tech where performance is available on demand. The boost is available through the rear motor and as a result the Audi can get up to a top speed of 200kmph.
The Mercedes on the other hand has a top speed of 180kmph which is quite honestly enough. The priority here is the front axle and when required the rear electric motor switched on. The two engines deliver a total of 300kW (408bhp) and 760Nm torque.
On the go, both these vehicles feel rather odd to drive. There is literally no noise and being inside is surreal. However it is the performance which is astonishing. Big SUVs these are and yet the Mercedes can sprint to 100kmph in 5.5 seconds, which the Audi take just 5.6 seconds. The other interesting thing about electric cars is the fact that they are very easy to drive. The priority here is only the accelerator pedal. It is light to use as there are no obvious mechanical connections. Not to forget that both these cars get interesting regenerative systems. The moment one lifts off the pedal one can feel the regeneration happening. The speed reduces instantly and this works something like what engine braking would be in usual cars. One can further intensify the same by using the paddle shifters.
Now let’s move on to the braking section where we tested both cars. The Audi brakes harder from 100kmph with warm brakes. The large SUV came
to a halt in just 33.9m as compared to the 36m taken by the Mercedes. Incredible feat!
Both these SUVs are heavy-weights. As a result once can feel it on the steering most of the time. However the Audi’s unit is a bit disappointing as there is literally no feedback. The Benz in comparison feels more rocky and restless.
Now for the most interesting bit, efficiency! In the test, the EQC consumed 29.7kWh per 100 kilometers while the Audi consumed 32.7 kWh. First and foremost these are pretty weird numbers as far as efficiency is concerned and we feel that the erstwhile ‘kmpl’ was so much easier to understand. But coming back to the electric world, the Benz does about 270 kilometers and the Audi does 290. Both can be replaced with and DC charged. The Mercedes up to a maximum of 110kW and the Audi up to 150kW. That takes half an hour each. To the more widespread 22kW AC charging, the EQC charges up to 7.4kW while the e-tron charges up to 11kW.
Audi and Mercedes both demand juicy prices for their new age electric cars. Prices of the e-tron starts from 80,900 euros and the EQC will set you back a minimum of 71,281 euros. There is little to doubt that the future is expensive. But we already know that thanks to a company called Tesla.
THERE IS LITTLE TO DOUBT THAT THE FUTURE IS EXPENSIVE.
BUT WE ALREADY KNOW THAT