Picture this: you’re Mercedes-Benz, the undisputed overlords of posh four-wheeled beasts. A few years back, you rolled out your electric future with all the pomp and circumstance of a royal wedding. EQ this, EQ that – a dazzling lineup of shiny electric motors with names that sound like they’ve been nicked from a sci-fi blockbuster. But now, in 2025, Stuttgart yanks the handbrake and spins the wheel hard. The standalone EQ badges are headed for the scrapheap, replaced by… hold onto your hats… normal Mercedes names with an electric twist. Buckle up, because this tale’s got drama, logic, and a cheeky dollop of German stubbornness – served with a proper British wink.
Let’s rewind a bit. A few years ago, Mercedes went full throttle into their EQ game plan. We got the EQE, the EQS, and a whole herd of SUVs proudly sporting those two trendy letters. The thinking was straightforward: electric cars needed to stand out, to have their own swagger. Fair enough, right? But the world keeps spinning, the market hiccups, and suddenly the shift to all-electric isn’t the mad dash they’d banked on – more like a slog up a steep hill with a dodgy knee. So, in a move that’s as clever as it is hilariously pragmatic, Mercedes says: “You know what? Sod this EQ nonsense. Let’s keep it simple.”
From now on, electric models get a modest little tag at the end: EQ Technology. That’s it. No more separate sub-brands, no more futuristic names that tie your tongue in knots. Take the new CLA, for instance. The all-electric version will just be a CLA with EQ Technology. Hybrids? EQ Hybrid Technology. It’s so bloody straightforward you’d swear it was cooked up over a pint in a pub somewhere. And honestly? It works. Because when you buy a Mercedes, you want a Mercedes – not some spaceship with a plug.
But there’s more to this U-turn than meets the eye. Peek at the sales figures, and the penny drops. Last year, Mercedes shifted just 12,391 EQEs in Europe – down 21% from the year before. Meanwhile, the trusty old petrol-powered E-Class was flying out the door: 45,772 units, up 32%. The message is loud and clear: punters still crave that classic Mercedes vibe, but they’re not fussed about an optional plug. So why faff about with a separate EQ range when you can bung it all under one roof? The next E-Class, due in 2027, might come with petrol or electric power. The electric one? Just an E with EQ Technology. Genius, simple as that.
Then there’s the G-Class, that rugged old bruiser that still looks the part even when it’s knee-deep in muck. Its electric version’s already called the G 580 with EQ Technology – no daft EQG nonsense here. Same deal for the T-Class and V-Class: electric options without the faff. Even the EQA and EQB are so close to their petrol siblings, the GLA and GLB, you wonder why they bothered with separate names in the first place. Mercedes has finally clocked it: customers want options, not a puzzle.
Of course, we can’t resist a quick glance at the neighbours. BMW’s still scratching its head over names for their Neue Klasse, and Audi’s just untangled its own numeric mess. Mercedes looks like the sensible one here: why make it tricky when you can keep it easy? They’re not binning the EQ label entirely – it’ll linger on the current models for a bit – but the point’s crystal: electric cars aren’t the oddball anymore, they’re the norm. And that norm deserves a name that fits the star on the grille.
So, what’s the takeaway? Mercedes proves even a cash-loaded titan can pivot and admit: “Alright, maybe we got a bit carried away.” It’s a rare bit of self-awareness in an industry that often charges ahead like a bull in a china shop. And let’s be honest, it’s a tad amusing – all that EQ hype from a few years back, swapped out for an approach so no-nonsense you’d pair it with a sausage roll and a cuppa. For us car nuts, it’s a win: more choice, less faff, and a Mercedes that stays a Mercedes – plug or no plug. Now, if they could just make those electric motors growl like a proper V8, that’d be a cracking trick worth raising a glass to!
