E what?

More than just a mere concept, the Generation EQ on Mercedes-Benz's stand represents a revolution from the century-old car maker. Specifically, an electric one, as Mercedes is going so far as creating a new brand for its electric vehicles, and promising big things. It's spearheaded by the neat Generation EQ concept, a GLC-sized smartphone-cum-SUV.

AN ESUV?

The EQ will, says Merc's moustachioed boss Dr Z, be a production reality within three years. The EQ brand promises to retain all the luxury, safety and technology traditionally associated with Mercedes, but adding a sophisticated plug-in battery drivetrain and the latest connectivity and autonomy. It is hoped to appeal to Mercedes-Benz's traditional customers and haul in a whole group of buyers new to the brand. The EQ model range will, says Zetsche, expand into all of the traditional segments, promising that there will be 'at least' 10 battery electric models in its EQ portfolio by 2025. He anticipates that between 15-20 per cent of the brand's entire sales will be made up of battery electric vehicles within the same timeline, with insiders suggesting that if hybrids are included then as much as 50 per cent of Mercedes-Benz's sales could be alternatively powered.

Alternatively powered?

That's alternatively powered in the old sense, as hybridisation and electrification were very evident at the Paris Motor Show. That's hardly surprising, as battery technology is advancing to the point where Mercedes is suggesting the production-ready EQ could offer a potential range of 310 miles, allied to a sub-five-second 0-62mph time. Your green conveyance can be as superfast as the many streaming connections to it, then. The traditional issue of charging is being addressed too; with the correct network, an 80 per cent charge should be possible in the time it takes you to stop and fill yourself up with a mokkochococamerichino as coffee baristas replace fuel companies as modern day roadside bandits emptying wallets of life savings.

There's more?

Introducing the Generation EQ in Paris, Dr Z outlined a bright new future for Benz customers traditional and new. There's talk of Airbnb style applications to allow your car to earn you money as a rental when it'd otherwise be parked, or using your car to have groceries delivered to it, and much more. We rather like the idea that someone somewhere in Mercedes-Benz is worrying about stopping a tub of ice cream melting after it has been delivered to your car as it waits for you to drive it home to the freezer.

Anything else?

All this battery-powered, smartphone-driven future-gazine isn't entirely at the expense of conventional market segments. Mercedes-Benz also used Paris to mix up its E-Class Estate with the introduction of the body-clad All Terrain model and it added some serious fun in the forms of the Mercedes-AMG GT and GT C Roadsters, just in case you can't wait for tomorrow to happen.

Kyle Fortune - 4 Oct 2016