With the growing demand for all-electric cars, the Mercedes EQC was shaping up to be the most important car of the century for the three-pointed star. After months of spy shots and teaser videos, the first of Mercedes' line of EQ electric cars has finally arrived. It's called the EQC, and it is an all-electric SUV with one goal in mind - to be the best or nothing. With an estimated range of over 200 miles and 402 horsepower worth of electric motors, it certainly isn't nothing.

The EQC will jump right into battle with the recently revealed Jaguar I-Pace, as well as the upcoming Audi e-Tron and BMW iX3. The Mercedes beats the Jag on power, but the I-Pace can travel nearly 300 miles on a charge. The Tesla Model X also has the Mercedes pegged on electric range.

We don't want to take away too much from the EQC because it is still an impressive vehicle. Its full name is the EQC 400 4MATIC, because the car has two electric motors - one driving the front wheels, the other driving the rear wheels. Together, these motors produce 402 hp (300 kW) and 564 lb-ft of torque, enough to rocket this SUV up to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and up to a top speed of 112 mph.

Through the use of DC fast charging, the EQC can regain 80% of is 80 kWh battery capacity in just 40 minutes. Drivers will be able to cater the car towards efficient or sport driving with several drive modes including Comfort, Eco, Max Range, Sport, and Individual. The EQC will also have the ability to coast in order to save range or regenerate energy using the brakes, allowing for one-pedal driving.

On the inside, the EQC will benefit from the new Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system, which was first shown off in the A-Class. This highly flexible system can be controlled on the steering wheel, via a touchscreen, a new touchpad controller, or through intelligent voice control. It can also be connected to a Mercedes app that allows the driver to set the climate controls before entering the vehicle.

The interior looks similar to other Mercedes models, but has enough unique touches to come off as an electric car. We like how Mercedes didn't go too far trying to make the EQC stand out as an electric car, but it isn't quite as pretty to our eyes as the Jaguar I-Pace. The rear is extremely streamlined, and the front fascia only includes subtle cues that this is no ordinary Mercedes.

Mercedes will begin production in 2019 and pricing and availability has yet to be announced. With the Audi e-Tron and BMW iX3 arriving soon, Mercedes is the first to lay down the gauntlet among the big three German automakers. The EV wars are about to heat up.