Mercedes-Benz EQC not for US right now, brand says, after much back and forth – CNET

The Mercedes-Benz EQC electric SUV did its fair share of flirting with the US, but for now, the automaker wants to play hard to get. It turns out, the SUV won’t be coming to America after all. At least, not right now. 

“Following a comprehensive review of market developments, the EQC will not be offered in the US for now,” a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson told Roadshow. Autoblog first reported the news on Monday. The decision follows the EQC’s debut at CES 2019 and initial plans to launch the SUV shortly thereafter. In December 2019, however, the German brand punted the SUV’s launch to 2021. Here we are in 2021, and we don’t have an EQC.

Why the change of heart? The brand spokesperson’s statement went on to add, “We look forward to celebrating the world premiere of the all-electric EQS luxury sedan this spring, which will be available in the US in the fall of 2021.” In other words, the marque is focused on the EQS instead. It might be a better strategy to usher in a halo EV first, anyway. The EQS will pave the way forward for Mercedes-Benz and sit as an all-electric complement to the standard S-Class. Expect every ounce of luxury and technology baked into the EQS, just like the S-Class. That includes the wild new Hyperscreen the brand showed off at the virtual CES 2021 this year.

To be clear, the statement doesn’t say the EQC isn’t coming to the US. It just seems that, for now, it’s on the back burner. Aside from the EQS and EQC, we do know Mercedes-Benz has a whole bunch of other EVs in the pipeline. Last year, it teased an EQE electric sedan and it also plans to use the EQS and EQE names for electric SUVs. That won’t be confusing at all, I’m sure.

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