Mercedes-Benz finished its annual statement to the industry at Monterey Car Week with a striking concept design, the Silver Arrow. The concept car presentation from the company’s EQ line of all-electric vehicles wasn’t just to raise eyebrows, though. It effectively paved the way for the coming EQ model, and the first to enter production: the 2020 EQC 400.

The EQC 400 is carrying a huge amount of responsibility. The company is investing heavily with the EQ line; the SUEV is the first of seven models to enter production and appear on sales floors over the next four years. Mercedes has built new factories to produce the cars, and has sunk billions into the project. The success of the EQC 400 is an important first step.

Judging by looks alone, the model should amount to an effective opening salvo against the big T. It carries the appealing contemporary fluidity of Mercedes’ GLC language, and so manages to reconcile literate and intense nicely. The front end features a metallic grille, and enough textural contrast to be interesting without looking busy; an LED bar connects the headlights. The back end features a clipped window, and a long slash of a signal assembly.

The car’s range, one of the paramount figures in any EV, is—for now—a respectable 200 miles; that number could change by the time the model rolls into dealerships. The car’s just-over 400 HP will take it to 60 MPH in less than 5 seconds, and the top speed is set at 112.

The interior looks uncluttered and intuitive. A full digital instrument panel, touchscreen, and LED accents give it a pleasing contemporary sheen. The car’s navigation system processes current traffic and route info on the fly, keeping drivers informed of nearby charging stations.

Mercedes hasn’t revealed pricing information about the EQC 400 as of yet.