Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

The Geneva International Motor Show just got underway in Europe, which means a flood of new car reveals. Audi showed off a smaller e-tron sedan and some plug-in hybrids; we're still waiting to find out which—if any—are coming to the US. There were a bunch of hand-built hypercars, some from companies you've heard of and some you haven't. Volkswagen had the new I.D. Buggy we showed you yesterday. And then there's the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQV.

It's the latest all-electric EQ concept from the automaker. Some of these cars, like the Smart Vision EQ or the Vision EQ Silver Arrow will remain one-off, corporate flights of fancy. But others are headed to production. Later this year, the EQC battery electric vehicle goes into production , with US sales starting in 2020. Some time around then, the EQV electric van will also go into volume production.

"Mercedes-Benz Vans is consistently advancing the electrification of its product portfolio. With the Concept EQV, we are now taking the next step. The concept offers all of the brand-typical attributes from this segment that Mercedes-Benz customers have come to know, appreciate and accept. From a daily driver for the family, a leisure-time adventurer or a shuttle vehicle with lounge ambience, the combination of these characteristics with a battery-electric drive mean the Concept EQV is a concept car with a future. We are particularly excited that we will soon be able to offer a series-production model on the basis of this concept," explains Wilfried Porth, member of the Daimler AG board of management for human resources and director of labor relations at Mercedes-Benz Vans.

EQV will be powered by a 100kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which supplies a 150kW (201hp) electric motor at the front axle. Top speed is limited to 99mph (160km/h), and the vehicle should have a range of 249 miles (400km). Seating is for between six and eight; we have to imagine the bench seat interior for eight is a lot less fancy than the six-seater configuration shown in Switzerland.

Listing image by Mercedes-Benz