Mercedes-Benz’s electric vehicle sub-brand EQ has made Korean debut on Friday, by displaying its plug-in hybrid SUV at the new terminal of Incheon International Airport.

The 2018 GLC 350e 4Matic SUV is the first plug-in hybrid from EQ to enter Korea. The name EQ signifies “Electric Intelligence” and is derived from the Mercedes-Benz’s brand values of “emotion and intelligence,” the company said. 

“What EQ aims for is the smart mobility, the vision which we wanted to share with public at Incheon Airport’s Terminal 2, also known as the smartest airport,” said Mercedes-Benz Korea CEO Dimitris Psillakis.

The company said it will release the vehicle within the first half of this year. It has been available in Europe since 2016.

Powered by a 2 liter four-cylinder gas engine mated with the 8.7 kWh lithium-ion battery, it can produce a total system output of 320 horsepower. 

The vehicle will have the amenities and style of a C-Class in crossover form, and as much as 34 kilometers electric range is possible. 

Mercedes-Benz said EQ will make aggressive foray into Korean EV market based on the CASE strategy -- Connected, Autonomous driving, Shared service, and Electric drive, according to the automaker.

The company plans to unveil over 50 electric-motored freight cars by 2022. 

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)