Mercedes-Benz prices the 2020 EQC below its main rivals

Mercedes-Benz has finally announced pricing information for the 2020 EQC it introduced over a year ago during the 2018 Paris Auto Show. The GLC-based electric crossover will be cheaper than its main rivals when it goes on sale across America in early 2020.

At launch, the EQC range will include three trim levels called Progressive, Premium and Advanced. The entry-level model costs $68,895 including a mandatory $995 destination charge, but excluding the $7,500 federal tax credit that some buyers are eligible to receive. To add context, the Jaguar I-Pace starts at $70,525 including destination, and Audi priced the E-Tron at $75,795. The cheapest variant of the Tesla Model X runs about $85,000, and BMW hasn’t unveiled the iX3 yet.

The Progressive trim includes the company’s MBUX infotainment system, navigation, 64-color ambient lighting, autonomous emergency braking, and high-beam assist.

The mid-level Premium gains an AMG Line body kit, a parking assistance package that includes a 360-degree camera, a wireless device charger, and wood trim in the cabin.

Finally, Advanced trim builds on the first two with leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a full suite of electronic driving aids. Mercedes hasn’t released pricing information for the top two trims.

The EQC is cheaper than its rivals, but pricing is relative. Shop at Audi, and even the entry-level E-Tron comes standard with leather, ventilated front seats, wood trim, and a surround-view camera. Jaguar, on the other hand, makes buyers move up to the $76,975 SE trim to get leather upholstery.

Only one variant of the EQC will be available at launch. The 400-badged model will come with an 80-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that zaps a pair of electric motors (one over each axle) into motion. Its output checks in at 402 horsepower and 561 pound-feet of torque. Mercedes-Benz quotes a 4.8-second sprint from zero to 62 mph, and an electronically-limited top speed of 112 mph.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hasn’t released the EQC’s maximum driving range yet, but we expect it will fall between 200 and 220 miles. Charging the battery pack from 10 to 100 percent takes 10 hours when using a wallbox, but a DC fast-charger takes it from 10 to 80 percent in 40 minutes. MBUX lets owners remotely monitor the charging process.

Manufactured in Germany, the 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC will go on sale in early 2020. Other variants could join the lineup a little bit later in the production run.