Is the discounted Mercedes EQT electric still a bad deal?

The starry cousin of the Renault Kangoo electric is struggling to find buyers, and dealers are lowering its price. But hey…

In 2023, Mercedes-Benz launched the EQT, a new addition to its electric vehicle lineup. However, for keen observers, this model is not entirely new. Indeed, under the hood and beyond the star badges, the Mercedes EQT is nothing more than a Renault Kangoo electric dressed in a premium outfit. But then, what justifies the significantly higher price of this Mercedes-branded version? The price gap is substantial, with the high-end Techno version of the French van starting at 37,750 euros (after incentives), compared to 43,850 euros for its German cousin… in its base version. It should also be noted that these are the so-called “standard” bodies, a long version that has only recently become available.

A Common Base: The Renault Kangoo E-Tech

The Mercedes EQT shares its platform and a large part of its components with the Renault Kangoo E-Tech, the French manufacturer’s electric van. This collaboration between Daimler and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi is not new and has led to several models sharing technical bases while being positioned differently in the market. The electric motor, battery capacity, and even the overall structure of the vehicle are nearly identical between the EQT and the Kangoo: 45 kWh of capacity, 90 kW (122 hp) of power, and a range of 285 km in mixed cycle. Both cousins feature an on-board charger of 22 kW, a fact rare enough to be mentioned. As for fast charging, it is limited to 80 kW, meaning a full charge takes about 1 hour.

For everything else, it remains design, so individual preferences will play a role. However, it’s hard to say that one truly outshines the other. We would even be tempted to say that the Renault Kangoo is more modern and sexy.

A Big Discount at Dealerships

Mercedes dealers have no choice but to generously discount the EQTs they have in stock. This type of electric vehicle, derived from a utility whose autonomy is perfect for daily use, is less suited for a getaway vehicle. Because when loaded with luggage and passengers, both the Renault Kangoo and the Mercedes EQT see their range drop to 200 km. Not ideal for going on vacation…

Mobiwisy has thus found an example of the German van originally priced at 50,000 euros (over 53,000 euros in practice when considering the displayed configuration) now marked down to 45,900 euros before an ecological bonus of 4,000 euros. This results in a final price of 41,900 euros. It’s still more expensive than a Tesla Model Y (36,990 euros) or a Model 3 (41,490 euros).

So even with the discount, it’s hard to see who might be interested, but it takes all kinds to make a world…

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