Back to Page 3: Driving Experience

1. Introduction
2. Design and Interior
3. Driving Experience
4. Conclusion and Competition

Conclusion and Competition

All right so the big question is, how convenient is it to own an electric vehicle in Singapore now? You can mount a wallbox charger in your garage and that puts out 11.5kW. A completely empty car can be recharged in about 7.5 hours. Remember that a full charge is good for around 400km, so most users will not need to charge the car every day.

The EQC supports a charge current of up to 110kW, which means refilling a completely flat battery in under an hour, or up to 80 percent in 40 minutes. That’s for the future though, as the most powerful commercial DC charging stations in Singapore can now output only 50kW. That translates to about 90 minutes for a full charge. 

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The thing with electric vehicles is that they make sense only if using one doesn’t bring inconvenience to your lifestyle. Owning a house with a garage where you can fit your own charger is a good case, and while your electricity bill may really rocket up, you no longer need to visit a petrol station, at least with the electric vehicle. 

The EQC is also available in a pricier AMG Line variant, with the usual bodykit, carbon fibre trim and bolder details. Performance wise, it’s the same as the base model EQC 400, dubbed the Electric Art. 

Luxury carmakers are really jumping into the electric car revolution with both feet. BMW’s iX3 is on the way, Audi has many iterations of its e-tron cars available, and Jaguar’s I-Pace has been here since the beginning of 2019. Then there’s Tesla, the wildcard as it is a totally new entrant to Singapore, doing things its own way. And we know from experience that the COE system and multiple levels of taxes have tripped up many unsuspecting new dealerships attempting a full blanket approach to selling cars here.

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As for the EQC, it’s a proper Mercedes-Benz in the way it drives and feels. Now only if some parts of its build didn’t feel so mismatched, such as its attempt to disguise the low ride height with black lower panels and a steering wheel that is actually canted slightly to the left of the driver’s seat, it would have been an even better car.

With the brand’s plans to do away with fossil fuel-only vehicles soon, this is its plan moving forward. Now we just need to let the local infrastructure catch up and middle class vehicles can all eventually go electric too. 

Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4Matic

Electric Motor	408hp (300kW), 760Nm
Battery	Lithium ion, 80kWh (net)
Charge Time / Type	7.5 hrs / 11kW wallbox
Electric Range	“Up to” 423km
0-100km/h	5.1 seconds
Top Speed	180km/h
Efficiency	21.5kWh/100km
VES Band / modifier	A1 / -S$25,000
Agent	Cycle & Carriage
Price	S$299,888 with COE
Available	Now

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