Mercedes-Benz could drop EQ brand for Electric Vehicles from 2024: Report

Mercedes-Benz could drop the EQ brand completely by 2024, a new report suggests. German newspaper Handelsblatt has cited company insiders, suggesting that the next generation of electric cars from the automaker will drop the EQ branding. The news emerges as Chief Executive Ola Kaellenius aims to focus on electric-only cars in the future, which would make the standalone EQ brand redundant.

Mercedes-Benz previously announced that it would bring an electric equivalent of all its cars by 2025. The automaker kicked-off its electrification journey with the EQ brand in 2016 and the first model to be introduced under this moniker was the EQC. Since then, the German auto giant’s EV range has diversified with models like the EQE, EQS, EQB, and EQB, while the EQG has already been announced as a concept.

Mercedes-Benz previously that its entire range will have an electric equivalent by 2025

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Mercedes-Benz previously that its entire range will have an electric equivalent by 2025

While moving to an electric-only strategy seems to be the way forward, the brand also has nomenclature issues with nearly all models divided into sedans and SUVs. For instance, the EQE represents a sedan and an SUV in the line-up, and so does the EQS. The EQC currently represents an SUV but the C-Class’ electric equivalent is set to arrive later this year globally.

The report also quotes a spokesperson for Mercedes' EQ products about dropping the EQ name. They said, "With the goal of our parent brand Mercedes-Benz becoming fully electric by the end of the decade, we will adapt the positioning of the vehicles and thus also the use of the brand in line with the times, but it is too early for details on this at the moment."

Not just electrics but the EQ brand also represents hybrid tech on Mercedes-Benz cars. The company brands its mild-hybrid technology on newer cars as ‘EQ Boost’ while the EQ branding has been a strong part of the automaker’s efforts in Formula 1.

That said, Mercedes-Benz won’t be phasing out its internal combustion engines just yet. The automaker plans to do that by 2030, which will see the ICE motor being discontinued in most markets. Until then, the brand will continue to use petrol and diesel engines on its popular offerings including the new C-Class, GLC, GLE and even the S-Class.

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