First glimpse of Mercedes' high-end electric SUV likely at the Paris Motor Show

By Bruce Brown Published June 10, 2016

mercedes electric suv paris glc rt 2016 1120 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ah, Paris in October. The summer crowds are gone. The days cool but not cold, the average daily high is 61 degrees Fahrenheit. And this year, at the biennial Paris Motor Show that runs from October 1 to 16, Mercedes-Benz will be unveiling its first dedicated all-electric model, according to Autocar.

Mercedes already has electric versions of its A Class and B Class vehicles, both with drive trains Daimler co-developed with Tesla. The concept vehicle to be shown in Paris is expected to be an SUV, according to Electrek, with the real deal on sale in 2018 or 2019 (more likely). Mercedes is planning to launch four all-electric vehicles by 2020, using two versions of its Modular Electric Architecture MEA.

The Mercedes electric SUV is expected to compete directly with the Tesla Model X, the electric Audi Quattro, and possibly an electric SUV from Jaguar. Mercedes has said that its new all-electric vehicles will have distinctive styling, but that doesn’t necessarily mean unique bodies. Styling may look similar to the GLC SUV or perhaps the GLC Coupe (which looks more like a Tesla Model X SUV).

As reported previously in Digital Trends, The Mercedes GLC Fuel Cell, planned for next year, is seen as a precursor to the new EV vehicles. That vehicle, like the planned C Class and S Class all -electric sedans, will be based on the MRA, or Modular Rear Architecture, with plenty of space to store batteries (and hydrogen tanks in the case of the GLC Fuel Cell).

The Paris Motor Show won’t be held again until October 2018, at which time all signs are that we can expect to see a wide range of all-electric vehicles targeted for most market levels. Certainly at that time the four then still-upcoming four Mercedes-Benz all-electric cars and SUVs will be on display. This fall will be the first chance to see what’s cooking in the Mercedes Stuttgart prototype model workshop.

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Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…

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