Mercedes-Benz EV trademarks 'EQ' brand name

Update, August 12, 2016: British magazine Autocar reports that Mercedes-Benz has trademarked a series of brand names in the UK, based around the two letters 'EQ'. According to the report, Benz has trademarked the follow letter combinations: EQA, EQC, EQE, EQG and EQS. Additionally, the company has filed these letter and word combinations: EQ Inside, EQ Boost, Generation EQ and Generation MEQ. Benz has also filed a concocted word, 'Telligent'.

Autocar speculates that EQ will be an umbrella sub brand for dedicated alternative-energy vehicles, like BMW i. The magazine also suggests that EQ Boost may be an associated name for Benz's plug-in hybrids. Although Autocar says nothing further on the subject, the EQ Inside trademark sounds redolent of BMW's ConnectedDrive branding. This would indicate the EQ branding has scope beyond alternative-energy vehicles.

All of this comes with the caveat that Benz may have filed for the trademarks to lead us all up the garden path.

Mercedes-Benz is believed to be evaluating a secondary brand for a range of electric vehicles to compete head to head with BMW's i3 and i8. Tesla's Model S, Model X and Model 3 products are also said to be in the Benz crosshairs.

Industry journal Automotive News Europe reported last week that two electric SUVs and two electric sedans would come to market wearing a new brand that would coexist with the established Maybach and AMG names. That information came from two anonymous sources working for the company.

But much of this is conjecture, says the local spokesman for Mercedes-Benz, David McCarthy. The Senior Manager for Public Relations, Product and Corporate Communications has advised motoring.com.au that there is "some truth [to the report], but we will be concentrating our electric strategy on trucks, vans and cars.

"A sub brand is being discussed but the opposing view is we don't need it, the MB brand is plenty strong enough."

McCarthy admitted that no definitive answer has trickled through to the local head office in Mulgrave as yet.

"I don't know that that's planned. I think it's unlikely," he said.

That's likely the reason why Benz hasn't arrived at an official name for the new brand, but the company has already revealed it will bring a new EV to the Paris motor show in September. We've previously reported this new vehicle – with a 500km range between recharges – will be an all-wheel drive GT, but Automotive News is reporting it will be an SUV. Perhaps Benz will launch both at the same time.

"There's a couple of possibilities," McCarthy acknowledged. "It's more likely [to be] a mainstream car. We did the SLS Electric-Drive; we did less than 10. I think it's more likely to be an SUV or a large sedan.

"It could be either. My gut feel tells me it's not likely to be a sports car – not to say that that won't come."

Also on the EV agenda at Stuttgart is a heavy truck, and a fuel cell vehicle based on the GLC. The latter, according to Automotive News, will blur the line between fuel cell vehicles and battery-electric vehicles by being essentially a plug-in hybrid that can be recharged from a wall socket – but with the added security of a range extender in the form of the fuel cell stack.

Pictured: Concept IAA petrol/electric plug-in hybrid