We consider why an electric Mercedes S Class is so important. Meet EQS
Every time you look, there’s a new new electric car being launched. There must be two or three electric car announcements on a good day — ten to twenty a week, as carmakers rush to electrify their ranges. It’s not that they really care that much more about electrification or less about combustion. It’s because they have to lower the carbon footprint of their ranges. Or suffer the pain of billions of dollars of greenie fines.
CARS ARE CHANGING FASTER THAN EVER
Which is why the car market is changing as fast as it ever has in the first world. It makes little difference in South Africa and likely never will, besides the fact that if you are brand loyal, in some cases you will be forced to drive electric before too long. Others will however continue to allow you the choice of everything from biturbo V12s to fully electric floats. And that’s one of the Mercedes-Benz EQS’ big plusses. But there’s far more to it too.
See, the Mercedes-Benz S Class is somewhat of a pillar among cars. So when an electric one of those comes along, it’s a very big deal.That will sway opinion. Merc’s EQS also arrives so at a time where new electric vehicle registrations are romping toward 25% of the German new car market. And it’s not going to stop climbing anytime soon.
So, if you want to drive an electric luxury car, there’s now an S Class for you too. But if you want a hybrid, or a straight petrol V8, even an an AMG 63 there’s also one of all of those. There’s even a biturbo V12 65 or a Maybach S Class. It’s called freedom and it seems in Merc’s case at least, that you will long have the luxury of choice.
HERE IT IS — MEET MERC’S EQS
But this is about the electric S, and here it is. Meet the all-new Mercedes-Benz EQS that sets new standards in electric motoring luxury, electronics, aerodynamics and updatable software update capability around an electric drivetrain with up to 525 kW of power on tap, if you want it.
The launch mercedes-Benz EQS range includes the 2480 kg rear-wheel drive EQS 450 with a 245 kW 460 Nm rear-mounted asynchronous electric motor good for 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds. The 2585 kg twin-motor all-wheel drive 385 kW 855 Nm EQS 580 ets to 100 in a rapid 4.3 seconds and both cars’ top end is limited to 210km/h. A 525 kW Mercedes-AMG EQS will follow and there’s an elecric Maybach EXS on the cards too.
Both new EQS models get a 107.8 kWh lithium ion battery with 26% higher energy content than the one used in the EQC, for a claimed 766 km WTLP range.
PRICED ITO RIVAL THE PETROL S CLASS
Priced in line with the standard S-Class, EQS is the first model to use Mercedes-Benz’s dedicated Electric Vehicle Architecture with rear-wheel steering and air suspension at each corner.
Designed to ‘exceed the expectations of even its most demanding customers’, the aluminium-bodied EQS is 5216 mm long, 1926 mm wide and 1512 mm tall. It rides on a long 3210 mm wheelbase and has short overhangs. It has a black grille panel with angular headlights joined by a horizontal light bar, a fixed clamshell bonnet and unique one-bow roofline leading to a hatchback-style tailgate and an exceptional 0.20 drag coefficient.
EQS’ luxurious cabin is dominated by Mercedes’ new triple digital display Hyperscreen comprising the dials, central infotainment and another display for the front passenger in a single curved panel stretching across the dash. That packs Merc’s latest generation MBUX ‘Hey Mercedes’ operating system with over-the-air software update capability. A high centre console and flat floor also brings greater rear-seat than the petrol S.
EQS’ 610 litre boot space is 60 litres bigger than the S-Class and extends to 1770 litres when the split folding rear seats folded down.
ITS ALL ABOUT THE LUXURY OF CHOICE
But the biggest trick here is that you can still get all the petrol S Classes. This groundbreaking electric EQS however now allows you a battery powered version, if that’s so important to you. As we say up top, it’s all about the luxury of choice…
