Mercedes-Benz expects its Tesla rival to be sold out as soon as it becomes available

• Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche expects the Mercedes-Benz EQC electric SUV to be sold out in 2019 and likely in 2020, Electrek reports, citing the German publication Welt.
• "We are sure that we will not be able to meet the demand in 2019 and probably not by 2020," Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche told Welt about the EQC, according to a translated version of the story. 
• "We do have positive feedback from our sales organisation around the world," a Mercedes-Benz representative told Business Insider. "This is why Mr. Zetsche expects the EQC to be sold out in 2019 as soon as ordering in Western Europe will start in April 2019."

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche expects the Mercedes-Benz EQC electric SUV to be sold out in 2019 and likely in 2020, Electrek reports, citing the German publication Welt.

"We are sure that we will not be able to meet the demand in 2019 and probably not by 2020," Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche told Welt about the EQC, according to a translated version of the story. Daimler is Mercedes-Benz's parent company.

"We do have positive feedback from our sales organisation around the world," a Mercedes-Benz representative told Business Insider. "This is why Mr. Zetsche expects the EQC to be sold out in 2019 as soon as ordering in Western Europe will start in April 2019."

Read more: I drove a $42,000 Lexus UX hybrid SUV to see if this offbeat, entry-level crossover is worthy of its luxury nameplate. Here's the verdict.

The automaker plans to begin production of the vehicle in 2019 and start deliveries to US customers in 2020. The vehicle will have over 279 miles of range, 408 horsepower, around 564 pound-feet of torque, a 0-60 mph acceleration time of around 5.1 seconds, and the ability to charge from 10% to 80% capacity in 40 minutes when using a DC fast charger. Mercedes-Benz has said.

The EQC will also have semi-autonomous driver-assistance features that will be able to control the vehicle's speed in heavy traffic, provide steering assistance, and brake to avoid or limit the damage from a collision, according to Mercedes-Benz.

The EQC will compete with luxury electric SUVs like Tesla's Model X, Jaguar's I-Pace, and Audi's upcoming E-Tron.

After the EQC, Mercedes-Benz will release an electric sedan. The automaker has said it plans to invest $11 billion in electric vehicles by 2022.

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