Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming electric vehicle sub-brand is expected to be called EQ, after parent company Daimler AG filed numerous UK trademark applications for names centered around those letters.

The trademarks, which include EQA, EQC, EQE, EQG and EQS, and EQ Inside, EQ Boost and Generation EQ were all filed this month, under the motor vehicle classification.

Most of these trademarks can be applied to current vehicles in the Mercedes line-up; EQA applying to the A-class, EQC to the C-class, and so on, while the EQ Boost trademark could be used for hybrid models, much like BMW’s iPerformance badging for the 330e, X5 xDrive40e and 740e.

The EQ sub-brand is likely to start with an electric SUV that will be shown in concept form at next month’s Paris motor show. The model is understood to be the first of four Mercedes EVs set to launch before the end of the decade, including one that's aimed squarely at the market held by the Tesla Model S.

Generation EQ and Generation MEQ have also been filed, as has Telligent. The language used in the filed trademarks suggests a family of models which demonstrates innovation, while EQ Boost suggests that the ‘EQ’ part of the trademarks is linked in some way to powering the cars.

Official sources at Mercedes would not comment on the matter, but it has long been reported that the carmaker will launch an electric vehicle sub-brand akin to BMW’s i sub-brand imminently.