Mercedes EQB electric crossover will reportedly be twinned with GLB

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce a second compact crossover SUV in the upcoming GLB, but a new report claims the model will also spawn an electric variant.

Autocar reported Monday that the EQB currently doing the rounds in test mule form will be closely related to the GLB, including sharing a platform, though it will be powered by a battery-electric powertrain and sit within the EQ sub-brand for electrified cars.

The EQ sub-brand is home to all of Daimler's future electric cars, which kicked off with the EQC crossover's debut last October. So far, we've known Mercedes also plans for an EQA and an EQS model to join the electric lineup along with the EQB.

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC

The EQB will reportedly separate itself from its GLB cousin with distinct front and rear styling. Other minor changes will likely include unique wheels and other tweaks to make the compact crossover more aerodynamic. As for the electric powertrain, Autocar's report claimed it will share a twin-motor setup with the EQA. The publication's sources said the battery pack will provide at least 60 kilowatt-hours of capacity and return around 300 miles of range, likely on the more lenient cycle used in Europe. For example, the EQC 400's 80-kwh battery is expected to return a bit more than 200 miles when rated by the EPA.

In the future, Mercedes-Benz will ditch platform adaptations for a dedicated EV architecture. The first model to use the new platform, internally called MEA2, will be the EQS, positioned as a flagship electric sedan. So far, the current MEA platform has used adapted platforms from other various Mercedes-Benz cars, such as the EQC that's closely related to the GLC's platform.

By 2022, the luxury brand plans to offer 10 electric cars. A few will be electric versions of existing nameplates, such as the e-Sprinter van, but look for the majority of them to fall under the EQ designation. As for the EQB, it's unknown when we'll see the compact electric crossover, but the GLB will likely debut at the 2019 Geneva auto show this March.