And don't forget the
imminent Tesla M/X refresh which might almost double the Tesla range
Stop saying things like that, the only thing you are accomplishing is less people buying the current EVs, because they wait for some "imminent" refresh. Model S/X refresh has been "imminent" for over a year now and while it was 30% more range at first, we apparently are at twice the range now. Maybe just wait for Tesla to match the previous expectations, before inventing new ones.
They really do have a hard time not making a weirdmobile... I'm not sure if it's a legit attempt to differentiate because they think it will positively underscore the offering and they are just ourt of touch... or a (subconsciously?) deliberate attempt to sabotage the success...
The problem is, that no matter how they design it, people will complain. If it has a grille, people complain, if it doesn't it's a weird mobile, just to give one example. Or no buttons vs buttons, another topic you just can't make everyone happy.
But you are right, the concept looks weird, which was probably the intention. Concepts should not look like production cars, because they would cannibalize sales of the current cars. That's why they are made to look different.
In the end this Mercedes will probably look a lot like the GLC, which is a good thing. All those lighting elements will have to go, since they are too expensive and the interior will be revised for ergonomics. The exterior might look somewhat the same, but it will have mirrors and again no LED weirdness (too expensive).
I think it will launch in 2019, maybe 2020 model year in some markets. But yeah Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-tron Quattro will be available a bit earlier.
2019 is what I've heard, too. But I think this will be more aimed towards a lower price, just 75(?) kWh I think, vs the higher priced Jaguar and Audi (90-95 kWh). BMW iX3 and Tesla Model Y will be the main competitors, I think. And both will come out around the same time.
I really don't understand why only Porsche has the balls to try a sedan and why no one does a wagon. Those SUVs might be super popular right now, but in an EV the body style will have a negative effect on range. So a wagon and sedan body type should come before the SUV(the guys at Tesla actually figured that out and they live and work in SUV country). But I guess the SUV body style is so popular, that it's really hard to convince the finance department to spend a big amount of cash, which is needed for an EV platform and not start with what is considered the automotive cash cow first.
