New Mercedes EQB seven-seater electric SUV: prices, specifications and details

The Mercedes EQB seven-seat electric SUV will be priced from £52,145 in the UK, it has been confirmed, rising to £56,645 for the range-topper. As its name suggests, the EQB is derived from the combustion-engined GLB and sits between the smaller EQA and larger EQC in Mercedes' electric line-up.

On the styling front, it marries the boxy shape of the GLB (inspired by the rugged G-Class off-roader) with many styling cues familiar from other Mercedes EQ models, including a large flat panel in place of a grille, intricate alloy wheels, full-width front and rear light strips and plenty of metallic highlights inside and out.

Two four-wheel-drive powertrains (EQB 300 4MATIC and EQB 350 4MATIC), each available in two trim levels (AMG Line and AMG Line Premium), are being offered from launch. The EQB 300 4MATIC is priced from £52,145 in AMG Line trim and £53,645 in AMG Line Premium form. Prices rise to £55,145 and £56,645 respectively for the more powerful EQB 350 4MATIC version in AMG Line and AMG Line Premium spec.

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Standard equipment on the AMG Line cars includes 18-inch alloy wheels, AMG bodystyling, illuminated door sills, power-folding mirrors, a reversing camera, aluminium roof rails, privacy glass, ambient interior lighting, a multifunction leather sports steering wheel, powered seat adjustment and automatic climate control.

Mercedes' 10-inch infotainment screen running the MBUX interface, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, are also standard. Upgrading to AMG Line Premium brings a power-operated panoramic glass sunroof, 19-inch alloys, an upgraded 10-speaker audio system and wireless phone charging.

Mercedes does admit, however, that the EQB's third-row seats "can be used by people up to 5ft 4in tall" and so they'll be most comfortable for children on longer journeys. Like the front passenger seat and the second-row seats, the third row has anchor points for fitting child seats. Mercedes quotes headroom figures of 1,035mm for the first row and 979mm for the second, as well as 87mm of kneeroom in the second row.

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Boot capacity ranges from 495 to 1,710 litres in the seven-seater version, and 465 to 1,620 in the five-seater, depending on how many seats are in use. The inclination of the second-row seats can also be adjusted to several positions and the seats themselves can slide back and forth to help with squeezing in larger items.

Up front, there's a 'widescreen' cockpit design, with two large dashboard screens giving a full-width effect as in the Mercedes E-Class hybrid. Tubular design elements with an aluminium-effect finish sit at various points around the cabin: on the doors, in the centre console and on the passenger-side instrument panel.

The car's standard navigation system includes an 'Electric Intelligence' function that calculates the fastest route to your destination while factoring in any necessary charging stops. The effect of topography, road type and weather on the expected driving range is also taken into account, while the system also brings the car's battery to the optimal temperature for charging ahead of your arrival at the charging point.

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Charging from a compatible home wallbox is possible at speeds up to 11kW, while topping up from public rapid chargers is possible at up to 100kW – meaning a 10-80% recharge can be completed in just over half an hour. Customers can use the 'Mercedes Me' service to access and pay for charging at more than 500,000 points operated by various providers across 31 countries – 200,000 of them in Europe.

The EQB 300 and EQB 350 four-wheel drive models that launch the range both returned 260 miles from a charge in official testing. Further variants will be available, including a front-wheel drive variant. Mercedes has referred to "a particularly long-range version" – which is likely to be front-wheel drive, and could possibly drop the seating capacity from seven to five in order to accommodate a larger battery.

The EQB will soon be joined in Mercedes' range by the EQE SUV and EQS SUV, which sit on the brand's dedicated large electric-vehicle platform that also underpins the EQS luxury saloon. Alternatives to the EQB if you're looking for a family electric car with seating for seven include the Citroen e-Berlingo, the Nissan e-NV200 Combi, Mercedes' own EQV, the Peugeot e-Rifter, the Tesla Model X and the Vauxhall Combo-e Life.