Mercedes plans EV subbrand to challenge BMW, Tesla, report says

[RobStark]

August 5, 2016 @ 2:58 am
Elisabeth Behrmann and Christoph Rauwald
Bloomberg

Mercedes-Benz will create a subbrand for electric cars to challenge BMW and Tesla Motors in a bet that alternative-fuel cars have the potential to become profitable.

Mercedes will add two electric SUVs and two sedans, according to two people familiar with the plan, who asked not to be named because the details haven’t been disclosed.

Mercedes hasn’t chosen a name for the subbrand yet, one of the people said.

Tesla’s success with the Model S sedan increased the pressure on other luxury-car makers, even as the U.S. company struggles with missed financial goals and delays in new models.

Germany’s luxury-market leaders need to show they too can make electric innovations that capture the imagination of buyers, and they’re facing emissions regulations that require low-pollution vehicles. Yet customers in Mercedes’s home market of Germany, in particular, have been skeptical of limited driving range, long charging times, comparatively high prices and at times quirky designs.

Mercedes plans EV subbrand to challenge BMW, Tesla, report says

 

[RobStark]

Mercedes' electric vehicle sub-brand to be called EQ?

Mercedes-Benz appears to be well on track to introduce its own electric vehicle sub-brand, which will apparently be called “EQ.” The carmaker recently filed numerous trademark applications around that name, all of which were under the motor vehicle classification.

The trademarks include EQA, EQC, EQE, EQG and EQS, along with EQ Inside, EQ Boost and Generation EQ. As you can tell, the trademarks can be easily applied to the current models in Mercedes’ line-up. For instance, the EQA name fits well with the A-Class, the EQC to the C-Class and so on.

 

[ecarfan]

I have no idea what "EQ" is supposed to mean. "Electric Qualified"? "Environmentally Quixotic"? "Electrically Quiet"?

 

[AB4EJ]

I have no idea what "EQ" is supposed to mean. "Electric Qualified"? "Environmentally Quixotic"? "Electrically Quiet"?

Does it really have to mean something? (If it does, it would be something in German, I'd think)...

 

[Jeff N]

I have no idea what "EQ" is supposed to mean. "Electric Qualified"? "Environmentally Quixotic"? "Electrically Quiet"?

EQual to Tesla?

 

[adiggs]

Electrically Quick?

Or maybe Electric Quick (Gas Slow). Maybe not

 

[RobStark]

From Wiki

Emotional quotient (EQ) or Emotional intelligence (EI) is the capacity of individuals to recognize their own, and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior,and to manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt environments or achieve one's goal(s)

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Sounds like an ego-massaging pun: EQ ~= E(lectric) + IQ.

(IQ is German for IQ.).

 

[mmccord]

Or a play on 'Eco'