Mercedes EQC electric SUV heading into the Spanish heat
It's part of a rigorous testing scheme before its debut.
If automakers didn't test its vehicles in every environment known to man, the resulting product may not work perfectly for every eventual owner. That's why, even just a few months before its release, Mercedes-Benz is still honing its first electric SUV, the EQC.
Mercedes-Benz released a few more pictures of the forthcoming EQC as it continues testing ahead of its debut, which is likely to happen at the Paris Motor Show in October. It will soon head to Spain to ensure the vehicle can withstand some gnarly summer heat.
Mercedes says the car will eventually be tested in China, Finland, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UAE and the US. It'll experience winters as cold as -31 degrees Fahrenheit, and summer heat exceeding 122 degrees.
The EQC's testing isn't limited to the real world, either. Mercedes-Benz uses digital testing, as well, covering everything from crashworthiness to battery consumption and range. It estimates that approximately 35 percent of the car's testing is done digitally. Approximately 200 prototypes and preproduction cars will be used during the course of testing.
It's not exactly the same testing regimen as a standard gas car. Since EVs are silent, Mercedes needs to pay extra attention to tire and wind noise, which can't be masked by engine noise. We'll find out how well Mercedes put everything together when the EQC is unveiled later this year and launched in 2019.
