More than 130 years history of the automobile industry covering 16,500 square metres over nine levels, 160 vehicles and in excess of 1,500 exhibits overall: Welcome to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. Many visitors are in awe of the sheer extent of history displayed here. Firstly, let us provide you with a little insider knowledge.

1. The world’s first motorcycle was a Daimler.

To be more precise, a vehicle by Gottlieb Daimler. Built in collaboration with his chief designer, Wilhelm Maybach, in the year 1885. The first vehicle anywhere to feature a high-speed combustion engine, they named it the “Reitwagen” (riding car). The facts: 0.38 kW (0.5 PS) performance! Top speed 12 km/h! The Reitwagen is a sensation. Indeed, it is the direct predecessor of the car, which was unveiled on the world stage one year later. An exact replica of the Reitwagen is on display in the Legends 1 area “Pioneers – The Invention of the Automobile”.

The new EQC is also a genuine Mercedes when it comes to passive safety. In addition to the usual, extensive programme of crash tests, the brand applies stringent safety standards to the battery and all component parts carrying electrical current. In many cases these standards exceed legal requirements.

Mercedes-Benz’s extensive experience of high-voltage drive systems has led to a special safety concept. The EQC’s accident safety was validated at the Mercedes-Benz technology centre for vehicle safety (TFS), the most advanced crash test centre in the world. Here vehicles, including prototypes with large electric batteries, have been tested under harsh crash conditions.