Mercedes-Benz isn’t one to sit around on its laurels, be it with its Formula 1 team, its passenger cars, or the freshly sprouted EQ brand. We’ve already got the EQC here in India, post which Mercedes announced the EQS, the EQA, the EQB and we’ve also seen the EQV, which is what the EQT is closest related to. That’s because the EQT plays a similar role to the EQV. They’re both vans for starters, the EQT being smaller than the EQV. But while the EQV sits in the V-Class lineup, the EQT is the first of the upcoming all-new T-Class line of vans.
While the EQV stayed largely similar to the standard V-Class in terms of design, this Concept EQT looks full-on EQ — slim LED headlights, a full-width LED bar at the rear and odd touches like the cluster of smaller three-pointed stars placed around a big three-pointed star making up the grille. That grille also has a lighting element in its frame — bling. There’s quite a few bulges and creases all around the EQT, even flared arches, which help make it look more butch and suave than a typical van. It also gets sliding doors on both sides, 21-inch wheels, door handles that sit flush with the body work and some chrome highlights to complete the package.
While this is shown as a concept, it is a near-production one so you can expect much of it to remain identical on the production model. Cut out the light up grille, shrink the 21-inch wheels and voila!
The conventionally-powered T-Class variants should also maintain a similar shape, though they will feature a functional grille, perhaps slightly less future-forward lighting elements and we also expect the rear light bar to be omitted.
Now while the exterior is all futuristic, the interior? Not so much. The very first comment on our Instagram post called it out and I’m going to have to agree here. The free-standing display has bezels wider than the Suez Canal, the screen itself looks quite small (which is probably why we haven’t gotten exact dimensions of it) and there are analogue dials. Now the primary reason for these could be cost cutting, to keep the EQT in a space that allows a lot more people to consider going electric, hence the utility over luxury approach. That said, it doesn’t look like a bad place to be. The screen, it runs the latest MBUX software, there’s three rows of seating — the last of which can seat adults comfortably, Mercedes claims, and it can also be folded away or removed completely to free up luggage space. There’s a panoramic sunroof with a ‘starscape’ etched into it and there should also be plenty of space inside thanks to it measuring 4945mm in length, 1863mm in width and 1826mm in height.
Mercedes hasn't announced any details of the battery, electric motor or the outputs and range for the EQT, but we do know that it is underpinned by the same platform as the Renault Kangoo E-tech electric which is set to have a 100bhp electric motor with 245Nm, juiced by a 44kW battery pack which enables at WLTP-tested range of over 260km. Mercedes could also ditch that and go with one of its own powertrains, perhaps from the EQA, but we’ll only know for sure in the future. The near future, because Mercedes is set to take the EQT to international markets next year. There will also be a Nissan and a Mitsubishi version to follow. As for an India launch of the EQT, we suggest that you electric van fanboys don’t get your hopes up.