Brabus Concept for EQC 400 Is Company’s First EV
As electric vehicles become cool, tuners to make them cooler. Brabus seems like it’ll be leading the ‘charge’ in that area.
Mercedes-Benz, like most automakers in this day and age, is making a pivot to battery electric vehicles. Curiously, this transition irked a lot of enthusiasts. Their concerns center around the idea that electric cars can’t be fun. We respectfully disagree. With a low center of gravity and instant torque, electric vehicles contain a lot of baked in fun. Brabus understands this as well.
Long time Mercedes collaborator Brabus recently unveiled a concept model based on the EQC 400. In addition to some exterior and interior upgrades, the aftermarket tuner saw fit to pack some additional power into the new EV as well. Overall, it’s a pretty sweet design that should help people get used to electric vehicles.
Charged up Design
Brabus didn’t specify exactly what they did with the exterior. But we can faithfully declare it looks amazing. The matte black body appears to mimic that of a circuit board. It’s an incredibly unique look for the EQC 400. Additionally, it’s a fitting vehicle to sport the look, as this is officially their first EV based product. Brabus also outfitted the concept with Monoblock alloy wheels, which they will offer in 20- and 21-inch sizes.
More functional exterior upgrades are coming too. To supplement the great paint job and sexy alloys, Brabus is currently developing an aerodynamic kit. Specifics are vague but we imagine they’re working hard to make the EQC 400 a bit more slippery, and therefore more efficient.
Substance Where it Counts
Perhaps most importantly, Brabus is giving the EQC some extra juice. The company designed what they’re calling a “refinement concept” into their model. Basically, that entails an increase in horsepower and torque. The concept will boost horsepower from 408 to 422 while torque gets bumped from 561 lb-ft. to 612. Curiously, 0-60 mph time is listed at 4.9 seconds. That is actually 0.1 seconds slower than the stock figure we reported several months ago. Given its status as a concept vehicle and the reputation of Brabus, we expect that number to change in the future.
Interior Upgrades
Additionally, the electric concept gets an upgraded cabin. Based on the 1886 Edition, it will contain all the premium niceties buyers expect out of a Brabus equipped vehicle. The leather get the Brabus treatment and the door sills and floor mats will feature “Brabus” prominently, just like their internal combustion counterparts. The company is also including their excellent door lock pins in the package as well. Brabus also outfitted the concept with aluminum pedals and stainless steel entrance panels, or door sills. In terms of electronics, the company included color changing LED lights throughout the cabin, which you can see in the above picture.
A Bright Future
Ultimately, the company seeks to make the EQC 400 even better than it was before. The electric crossover already proved itself worthy of the Nurburgring, way before it got into the hands of the public. European buyers already have the opportunity to pick one up if they desire. Americans won’t get that opportunity until 2021, but based on what Brabus is doing, it might be worth the wait.
Photos: Brabus