Mercedes-Benz presents the EQT Concept. A preview of a fully electrically powered passenger bus that will enter the market alongside another newcomer, the T-class.
Just a refresher: Mercedes-Benz entered the world of compact vans with the arrival of the first Citan and there was also a version of this intended for passenger transport: the Citan Tourer. A new generation of the Citan is coming and it will also be available again as a Tourer, Techzle learns from Mercedes-Benz. However, a more luxurious variant will be added to the range, which will be the T-class. From that T-class also comes an electrically powered version, the EQT, and we see the precursor of that here.
Own face
This EQT Concept is the second fully electric car from Mercedes-Benz Vans after the EQV, but unlike the EQV, Mercedes has worked a lot harder at the design table this time. Just like its electric relatives, such as the EQA, EQB and EQC, the EQT Concept has the same basic shapes as the new Citan and T-class, but a special EQ sauce is poured over it. At the front, this is mainly reflected in the strongly rounded nose, special sharply squeezed LED headlights and the closed panel with Mercedes stars in it as a ‘grille’. Expect the Citan and T-class to get a significantly more conventional front that is more like that of the A-class.
Mercedes-Benz EQT Concept
At the rear, the EQT Concept is possibly even less conventional if we compare it with the currently available vans from Mercedes-Benz. The C-shaped LED rear lights, which are connected to each other by means of a LED bar, give the EQT Concept its own appearance. All in all, Mercedes has succeeded in disguising the relationship with the already unveiled new Renault Kangoo, but there are certainly similarities. We will come back to that a few times later.
Interior
The interior of the EQT Concept looks typical Mercedes and is already quite ready for production. Expect not much more to change before the EQT is presented. Again, you do not have to expect a Renault dashboard with Mercedes logos, for example, because it is really all different and fits neatly in style with the other (EQ) models from Mercedes. Good news for those who do not like adjusting everything via the touchscreen: there are still physical (rotary) knobs for operating the climate control, but also for, for example, the volume and the song selection. There are also regular buttons on the steering wheel. The infotainment screen is quite modest in size and although Mercedes does not yet provide precise figures, it seems to be an 8-inch copy, just like with the Kangoo. You will of course find Mercedes’ MBUX system, which can also be operated with voice commands.
Mercedes-Benz EQT Concept
The EQT and the T-class must of course further distinguish themselves from the Citan Tourer by their equipment and use of materials. Things like nappa leather upholstery on the seats, a dashboard covered with recycled leather, colored accents, but also the enormous panoramic roof, for example. That does not mean that the EQT and T-class is purely ‘beautiful’, because it is of course also practical. The middle row of seats consists of two seats and can be folded down in parts. The seats slide forward, so that the backrests are almost completely flat. Not only useful if you want to use the EQT as a pack mule for luggage, but also to provide access to the two rear seats. These are two relatively spacious places where adults should also be able to take a seat.
If you do not need those seats, they can be folded and folded with the back up, so that you have more luggage space when you open the tailgate. Mercedes does not yet release exactly how much space. However, it is reported that the EQT Concept is roughly 4.95 m long, 1.86 m wide and 1.83 m high. That is undoubtedly the longest variant, inquiries from Techzle during an exclusive preview of the EQT Concept learn that there will be two different lengths. For example, the Renault Kangoo is barely 4.5 meters long as standard, so be careful that the EQT will also be a version that is 40 cm shorter than this concept car. That is probably also a five-seater instead of a seven-seater.
Mercedes-Benz EQT Concept
Drivetrain
Mercedes-Benz emphasizes that for this generation of the Citan and newcomers EQT and T-Class it had more influence on the development than before. The previous Citan was disrespectfully a Renault Kangoo with a Mercedes sauce, now Mercedes has really sat at the design table together with Renault. We see this in the design of both the exterior and interior, but the drivetrain of the EQT is, according to Mercedes, just the same as that of the Kangoo E-tech Electric. It is equipped with a 102 hp and 245 Nm strong electric motor, coupled to a 44 kWh battery, good for a range of 245 kilometers. The battery pack can be recharged in 2 hours using a 22 kW charger. With a 75 kW fast charger, you can charge up to 80 percent in 42 minutes. So expect almost the same specifications for the EQT, although the range may be slightly less favorable with the longer version. Incidentally, the new eCitan and eCitan Tourer also get this powertrain. Whether the EQT will also be available with a towbar, Mercedes cannot say yet.
Mercedes reports that the T-class will be on the market in 2022. The unveiling and market launch of the Citan and eCitan will take place this year. We will probably also see the T-class and the production version of this EQT Concept this year, but they will not hit the road until a little later.
Techzle was recently able to take a closer look at the EQT Concept: