Mercedes-Benz unveils electric EQC 4x42 prototype

Mercedes-Benz has offered a glimpse of how off-roading may look in the not-too-distant future, putting a new electric EQC 4x42 through its paces in Germany this week.

Based on the brand’s first production EV, the EQC medium SUV, the 4x42 has a pair of electric motors sending 300kW and 760Nm to the front and rear wheels via single-speed transmission.

Though its suspension is attached to the same body mounting points as the regular EQC, the 4x42 uses portal axles, which allows the wheels to sit much lower than the height of the axle centre.

This has seen its ground clearance more than double from 140mm to 293mm, which is 58mm higher than even the hardcore G-Class.

It’s resulted in vastly improved approach angle (31.8 degrees, up 11.2 degrees) departure angle (33, +13) and breakover angle (24.2, +12.6) than the EQC.

Wading depth has jumped 150mm to 400mm, but it’s still well short of the best off-roaders which can go more than 800mm deep.

Sitting on 20-inch wheels and 285/50 R tyres — plus 100mm wheel arch flares — the 4x42 has a reprogrammed Off Road mode.

Brakes are applied in targeted areas and times to improve torque distribution when starting on loose ground.

There are other innovations as well — including “lampspeakers”.

All EVs by law are required to emit a sound to alert other road users a vehicle is coming, however EQC 4x4² has a more powerful system composed specifically for it and uses the headlamps as external speakers for this purpose as Merc’s sound experts identified available installation space in the headlamp housings.

The EQC 4x4² also creates sound to give drivers feedback based on the position of the accelerator pedal, speed or energy recovery rate to help when parking and also offer a more emotionally rewarding soundtrack.

The prototype is expected to preview Merc’s recently announced ‘G’ sub-brand, which will join the company’s Maybach (super luxury), AMG (performance) and EQ (electric) offshoots.

Merc has been relatively coy about what the G brand will offer, but the EQC 4x42 could hint at a more rugged, off-road line of luxury vehicles in the mould of the G-Class — which Merc has confirmed will be available as a pure EV in 2022.