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What’s this? Mercedes having
a go at electric propulsion?
Yep, and you’d better get used to
it. Some £9.2bn has been invested
in its electric vehicle programme,
so you can expect a lot more
battery-powered Mercs to come
in the future. This is the very first:
an all-electric SUV that looks
surprisingly like lots of other
high-riding German machines.Is it just a GLC with a couple of
Duracells stuffed in the back?
Not exactly, because the platform
has been altered quite a bit to
house an 80kWh lithium-ion
battery pack and two electric
motors – one mounted to the
front axle and the other at the
rear. That’s becoming quite the
ubiquitous setup, but here it offers
a scintillating 403bhp and 760Nm
from the moment you stamp on
the throttle, as well as a claimed
range of between 232 and 259
miles on a charge.How does it drive?
The ride is nothing short of
fantastic – and this is one of
the quietest, most refined places
to while away the motorway miles
this side of a Bentley. That said,
it can smash the 0-62mph sprint
in just 5.1 seconds. The surge of
acceleration produced by electric
cars like this is addictive – even if
it is a heavy bugger in the corners.Ah, so best avoid the race circuits?
Definitely. This isn’t a performance
machine – it just strives to make
everyday life that bit smoother.
The constantly connected
and voice-activated MBUX
infotainment system, for example,
will calculate remaining range and
adjust navigation accordingly,
informing you where to stop for
a charge. The twin screens are
stunning and the overall interior
ambience is top-notch. This isn’t
as flashy as a Tesla, but plenty of
people will probably quite like that.THE NOBLE
SAVIC
This two-wheeled
treat is an electric
motorcycle from
Australian outfit
Savic that takes
cool retro styling
and blends it with
cutting-edge
battery tech.
Available in three
power outputs,
it manages a
0-62mph time
of 3.5 seconds and
can return up to 125
miles on a charge.DRIVING HOME
FOR CRISPNESS
McLaren has just
unveiled what
is arguably the
closest thing
you’ll get to a race
car for the road
without attracting
unwanted attention
from the law. The
620R, which will
go into limited
production this
year, is essentially
a 570S GT4 with
creature comforts
and more power.YES, IT’S AN
EXTENDER!
Proof that electric
racing programmes
pay their way
comes with a recent
software update for
the existing Jaguar
I-Pace, which sees
range extended
by 12 miles after
plugging it into a
dealer’s computer.
This is thanks to
“advanced technical
insights” from the
I-Pace eTrophy
race machine.Mercedes-Benz EQC
WHISTLE WHILE YOU MERC
from £62,220* / mercedes-benz.co.uk NEWS DASHBOARD
Charging time is
around 40 minutes
from a rapid 110kW
outlet, so you’ll want
to top it up at home
when you can.