Mercedes-Benz, with the introduction of an entire new sub-brand called EQ?teased by this Generation EQ concept from the Paris auto show earlier this fall?is committing to electric vehicles for the long haul. The launch of Mercedes-Benz?s first EQ model won?t happen until calendar year 2019?almost three years out. In the meantime, there?s much work to be done to put the new sub-brand on the map, not just with the electric vehicles themselves but with the apps, connectivity, and the interface.
That?s where the whole EQ ecosystem comes into play. Just in case you?ve been living in a Westfalia and still use a flip phone, no, ?ecosystem? doesn’t mean we’re talking about annual rainfall, soil erosion, and a delicate balance of species, but rather a holistic, Apple-like integration of it all. It?s no longer the exception but the expectation that everything will work in harmony: hardware and software, car and smartphone, driving and being driven, owning and sharing. Every company is talking ecosystem nowadays?so much so that there are even wannabe automakers who are boasting about their vehicle ecosystem long before they offer a car. There will be plenty of EQ ecosystem to tease in addition to the cars, we learned in a recent interview with Mercedes Cars? vice president of sales and product management, Matthias Lührs. And while EQ will offer a different user experience, the vehicles themselves are seen as a natural extension of Mercedes-Benz?s electrification strate...