Mercedes-Benz will unveil an electric-powered SUV concept, which high-ranking insiders describe as its first step into an elaborate electric vehicle strategy, at the Paris motor show in October 2016.

The new concept, currently undergoing construction at Mercedes' prototype workshop on the outskirts of Stuttgart in Germany, is said to provide a clear insight into the appearance, interior appointments, technical layout and overall dimensions of the German carmaker’s first truly dedicated electric vehicle. This uniquely styled SUV will take on the Tesla Model X as well as new electric SUVs planned by Audi and Jaguar.

The new zero-emissions SUV, tentatively planned for 2019, is the first in a series of a new electric vehicles currently under development by Mercedes, which includes an advanced upmarket sedan rival to the Tesla Model S and the recently unveiled Chinese LeEco LeSee, conceived around the very latest in autonomous driving technology.

Up until now, Mercedes had based its limited number of production electric vehicles around existing models, namely the Smart Fortwo and Mercedes B-class. With the unveiling of the new SUV concept, Mercedes will make public its plans to offer alternatives to its existing range of more traditional petrol, diesel and hybrid models.

In addition to providing clues to a new electric vehicle platform under development at Mercedes – elements of which will be shared on a soon-to-be-unveiled hydrogen fuel cell-propelled version of the GLC – the new SUV concept is also set to preview a brand new design language. The design style has been developed by a team of in-house designers and is set to be adopted by the upcoming production version of the new electric SUV.

“We’ve created a whole new look that takes into consideration the unique properties of electric vehicles,” a Mercedes-Benz official with knowledge of the new electric vehicle concept revealed to our sister magazine, Autocar UK.