Who would have thought we’d be reflecting on the days of two-tonne SUVs as some kind of high water mark in lightweight design?
My tongue is of course firmly in my cheek – but perhaps not wedged as high as my eyebrows were when I read that the upcoming battery-powered Mercedes EQS SUV tips the scales at just over 2.8 tonnes. With large electric SUVs coming from every premium and luxury manufacturer, this may soon become the norm rather than the exception, but should we accept it?
I’ve long apologised for the electric revolution being driven in large part by contradictory heavyweight SUVs, following the industry line that the high bodystyle was the perfect way to disguise the added height of battery packs, and reasoning that if you want to drive adoption, the best way to do it is by launching new cars in the most popular segments.
However, in the face of such bulk, serious questions should be asked.
