Mercedes EQB electric SUV to be more affordable than petrol, diesel GLB sibling

Mercedes-Benz is all set to announce the prices for its new GLB and EQB 7-seat SUVs today. Both will be imports and the GLB will come with petrol and diesel options. There will be a 200 petrol and 220d with four-wheel drive. The cheapest of the three models, especially when on-road prices are taken into consideration, is likely to be the EQB electric SUV.

1. EQB to have lower on-road price than petrol and diesel GLB
2. Import logistics also in favour of EQB

Mercedes EQB and GLB: pricing explained 

The pricing, on the face of it, appears to be counterintuitive. EVs are currently more expensive to make than petrol or diesel-powered SUVs. This is because the most expensive component of an EV is the battery, and the EQB has a large battery. It weighs a substantial 469kg and has a capacity of 66.5kWh. And this adds significantly to the cost of the SUV.

So how will the EQB be cheaper than the GLB? Well, for one, the EQB is built in eastern Europe as against Mexico for the GLB, so logistics are more favourable. The biggest benefit to the electric SUV, however, is likely to come from registration charges and assorted local taxes that are much lower for EVs. This is the case in several cities and states and is done to help promote the rapid adoption of electric cars.

So while the ex-showroom prices may not reflect a similar difference, on-road prices are likely to be skewed in favour of the EV. And this could make the otherwise more expensive EQB the cheapest of the lot. In fact, the EQB, according to dealer sources, could even be more affordable than the petrol version of the GLB.

This is not the first time Mercedes would be pricing an EV aggressively. The EQS is much more affordable than the S-Class and both are assembled in India. Mercedes has seen great success with the EQS as customers have been quick to gobble up the first batch of cars. And it will be hoping the EQB can have a similar effect.

Mercedes EQB: a quick recap

For the record, the EQB comes with a 228hp electric motor that makes 390Nm of torque. Its 66.5kWh battery gives it a WLTP range of 423km. A 10-100 percent charge can be done in 6hrs 25mins on an 11kW AC charger. A 100kW DC fast charger will be able to manage a 10 percent to 80 percent charge in 32 minutes. Estimate around an hour and a few minutes on the more common 50kW DC chargers we have in India (see review here).

The GLB 200 petrol makes 163hp and 250Nm of torque and 220 diesel makes 190hp and 400Nm of torque. The latter can also be had with the 4x4 system. The EQB is priced at Rs 74.50 lakh, ex-showroom, while prices for the GLB range between Rs 63.8 lakh-69.8 lakh, ex-showroom.