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Merc joins the battery push
A new interactive sculpture in Cape Town symbolises rapid advances in car technology, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK.
First there was IQ, or intelligence quotient, to test how clever we are. Then came EQ, for emotional intelligence, to test how well we engage with the world. Now, Mercedes Benz is introducing a new form of EQ, for electric intelligence, or how well our cars prepare us for the future.
That will be the branding for a new range of vehicles being developed now by the world’s leading luxury vehicle maker, as it aims to drive automotive technology beyond connected and self-driving cars.
Last week, it unveiled the Concept EQA, a compact, sporty electric car that is expected to have a range of 400km on one charge. It has one electric motor on the front axle and one at the rear, allowing for greater flexibility in driving settings. More important, though, it will have zero carbon emissions, and is part of Mercedes-Benz’s push into the electric car market.
According to Johannes Fritz, the company’s co-CEO in South Africa, battery-electric models will account for 15-25 percent of total unit sales by 2025. The big variation in forecasts is a result of uncertainty around both customer preferences and public infrastructure.
Johannes Fritz, Mercedes-Benz South Africa co-CEO.
The common perception is that the lack of government interest in an electric vehicle future will hamper roll-out of a charging network, and that lack of public interest means there is little incentive for car makers to increase production.
To counter this perception, and advance its vision of EQ, Mercedes-Benz combined the unveiling of the Concept EQA with the opening of a unique pavilion at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
Continue reading about the electric vehicle push in South Africa.
