Mercedes is dropping its "EQ" line of electric cars and replacing them with names and designs similar to the gas-powered models.

Before a new car comes to market, it's subjected to many months, sometimes years, of rigorous testing around the world. Sweden often hosts a big part of that journey, its cold northern expanses offering the perfect mix of frigid temperatures and frozen surfaces.

R emember the Mercedes-Benz EQC? An electric analogue to the GLC-class compact luxury SUV has been in the works for years—and in markets beyond the U.S., it actually existed as