As per the announcement from Mercedes-Benz on January 7, 2022, the all-electric flagship EQS has clocked 16,370 orders since it went on sale in August 2021. Unveiled on April 15, 2021, the EQS aims to carry its luxurious DNA into the fully-electrified portfolio of Mercedes-Benz.
The luxury carmaker achieved 2,093,476 global sales in 2021, the bulletin reveals. A record 227,458 units were plug-in hybrids and passenger electric vehicles, clocking a 69.3% increase from the year prior. In this, the Mercedes-EQ battery electric passenger cars (BEV) managed 48,936 sales, 154.8% higher than 2020. The total BEVs sold in 2021 were above 99,000 including Smart and Mercedes-Benz Vans.
Here’s a roundup of Mercedes’ flagship electric vehicle.
Exterior
The Mercedes EQS has a cab-forward design that lends it stunning proportions. Because of the bespoke EV platform, it doesn’t need to be as long as a traditional full-size sedan to be equally spacious, and that means compact dimensions and a more dynamic character. The production version misses out on most of the concept’s gimmicks, but not the low-slung “one-bow” design, long wheelbase, and short overhangs.
Video Source: youtube.com/Mercedes-Benz
The Mercedes EQS features the sleekest greenhouse on any production three-pointed star model. The visibly low roofline and the greenhouse give a fine bow shape. The strong shoulders provide a nice contrast with some edginess over the curvaceous profile. Daimler isn’t onboard the idea of switching to virtual exterior mirrors due to their high power consumption. In the lower half of the body, the specially designed wheels ensure that the car makes a dramatic entry, while improving aerodynamics.
At the rear, the curvy tail lamps of the Mercedes EQS elegantly sweep out to the sides of the flush tailgate and feature slanted vertical light guides. A connecting light strip and a neat spoiler are also among the highlights here. As for dimensions, the Mercedes EQS for the U.S. market is 207.3 in long, 83.7 in wide and 59.5 in tall, with a 126.4 in wheelbase.
Interior
Customers are likely to pay more attention to comfort, connectivity, and infotainment in highly autonomous, electric cars. The interaction between the vehicle and user will be in focus more in the Mercedes EQS compared to the Mercedes S-Class. So, Daimler has left no stone unturned for its new pinnacle of luxury.
In addition to the sleek exterior and one of the best electric powertrains in the market, the Mercedes EQS comes with a host of new-age in-cabin technologies. Life-like voice assistant with natural voice interaction, biometric authentication by fingerprint, face, or voice, electrically opening/closing doors (‘automatic comfort doors’), MBUX Hyperscreen comprising three front screens stretching across the dashboard, augmented reality head-up display, etc. are some of these high-end features. The interior design is more futuristic than that of even the new Mercedes S-Class.
The biggest interior highlight of the Mercedes EQS is the minimalist and highly digital dashboard called MBUX Hyperscreen. The AI-enabled MBUX Hyperscreen clubs the operation and display of infotainment, comfort, and vehicle functions.
The MBUX Hyperscreen looks out of the world even in the standards of the luxury class. It’s a beautiful fusion of digital/analog design where three separate screens are placed beneath a virtually floating panel, which is a gently curved Gorilla Glass surface. The only thing looking conventional in the “large digital surface,” as Daimler refers it to, are two protruding outer-end air vents, but even they carry a fancy design and backlighting, to look as dramatic and contribute to the futuristic theme.
The central and passenger displays are OLED units. Other technical highlights of the MBUX Hyperscreen include 8-core CPU, 24 GB RAM, and 46.6 GB memory bandwidth.
The EQS has a flat battery pack beneath the cabin that allows for ample interior space. The cabin is made of high-quality materials and luxury amenities, some new to Mercedes-Benz. The boot capacity is quite generous – 22 to 63 cu ft, depending on the rear seat setting.
Daimler offers a HEPA filter in the Mercedes EQS electric sedan to ensure that the interior air quality comparable to that in cleaning and operating rooms. The large air filter system is located under the front bonnet, and like the MBUX Hyperscreen, it’s an optional feature.
The highly efficient suspended particulate filter has a volume of almost ten litres and measures just over four A4 pages in size. It filters nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, dusts of the class PM2.5 and unpleasant odours. Its effectiveness has an industry-first official certification according to DIN EN 1822.
Mercedes EQS platform
Daimler has developed the Mercedes EQS on a brand-new platform called Electric Vehicle Architecture or simply EVA. The company has purpose-built this platform exclusively for battery electric vehicles or BEVs and plans to use it for only “large cars.” The EQS, EQE and their sedan counterparts are the platform’s first beneficiaries.
Mercedes EQS range
The Mercedes EQS is sold globally with two battery pack options: 90 kWh and 107.8 kWh. Launch variants in the U.S. come with only the latter, which offers a range of 784 km or 487 miles (WLTP), and EPA range of up to 350 miles, which falls well short of its top two American competitors, the Tesla Model S Long Range and the Lucid Air Dream. The battery pack can be charged with up to 22 kW with alternating current or up to 200 kW direct current. Using a 200 kW DC charger, 300 km or 186 miles (WLTP) of range can be achieved with just 15 minutes of charging.
Performance
The Mercedes EQS variants in the U.S. market include an EQS 450+ and an EQS 580 4MATIC, both with the 107.8 kWh battery pack. The EQS 450+ has a single, rear-mounted motor that generates 329 hp and 419 lb-ft. It can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds. The EQS 580 4MATIC has two motors, one at the front and one at the rear, together delivering 516 hp and 631 lb-ft. A 0-60 mph sprint takes just 4.1 seconds.
Price
In the U.S. market, the EQS is priced between $102,310 and $125,310, excluding the $1,050 destination and delivery charge. In the UK, the OTR (On The Road) price of the EQS starts at £99,995.
Featured Image Source: Christopher Matos-Rogers (Instagram)
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