On Tuesday, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the EQS SUV, an all-electric seven-seater that shares a platform with the automaker’s recently unveiled EQS luxury sedan. With an estimated range of 373 miles (600 km), the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV will match the Tesla Model X and BMW iX when it launches in the US later this year.
Mercedes isn’t releasing pricing information just yet, but the SUV is expected to retail for $110,000 to $130,000 depending on trim level. It will be the German automaker’s first electric SUV to reach the US after the launch of the EQC SUV was indefinitely delayed.
In many ways, the EQS SUV is simply a larger EQS: same 56-inch pillar-to-pillar hyperscreen (for the higher trim level), same 107.8kWh battery, same design language. Acceleration will likely be different, although Mercedes isn’t yet announcing the 0-60mph time of the EQS SUV.
The EQS SUV is simply a bigger EQS in many ways
Analogous to the EQS sedan, there will be two trim levels: the 450+ with rear-wheel drive and the twin-engine 580 4MATIC sports car. The 450+’s 265 kW rear motor delivers 265 kW of power and allows for 355 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. The front and rear axle motors on the 580 4MATIC configuration together produce 400 kWh for 536 horsepower and 633 pound-feet of torque. In the 4MATIC model, the torque shift function ensures “continuous distribution of the drive torque between the rear and front electric motors,” according to Mercedes.
grid view
Only the 4MATIC model comes with the 56-inch hyperscreen. Those who opt for the more affordable trim still get a digital instrument cluster and 12.8-inch portrait touchscreen. (When I tested the EQS sedan last year, I marveled at the size of the hyperscreen, but also worried about the lack of physical buttons and the possibility of distractions. The company claims drivers can find “90 percent” of what what they are looking for on the first level of the screen without having to scroll through menus or use the voice assistant.)
A major difference between the EQS and the EQS SUV is of course the size. The EQS SUV is an SUV and, by definition, larger than a sedan. While both share the same wheelbase (126 inches), the ESQ SUV is over 7.8 inches taller than the sedan. At 202 inches long, 77 inches wide and 68 inches high, the EQS SUV is slightly slimmer and shorter than the 2022 Mercedes GLS-Class.
A major difference between the EQS and the EQS SUV is of course the size
Another thing that differentiates the SUV from the sedan is off-road capability. The EQS SUV will be equipped with an OFFROAD drive mode in which the AWD distribution is “optimized for unpaved roads, inclines and terrain”. Hummer EV with Crab Mode isn’t the thing, but it’s cool to think about hopping down gravel roads while fully immersing yourself in a German-made luxury interior. However, most people who buy this electric vehicle are not the types who are looking for challenging back-road rides.
Like the EQS sedan, the SUV will come with plug-and-charge capabilities. This means that the EQS SUV will be compatible with around 90 percent of public charging stations in the US without having to download an app or sign up for an individual charging service. Mercedes hasn’t provided any information on the SUV architecture’s voltage, but it said the battery will charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in 31 minutes when connected to a 110 kW DC fast charger or larger. The peak power of the EQS SUV is 265 kW.
What struck me in the 55-page (!!) EQS SUV press release is the description of the SUV interior as “avant-garde”. Obviously, the contrast between the massive hyperscreen and a razor-thin band of ventilation that spans the width of the dashboard, as well as “circular ambient lighting” are the two interior design elements considered avant-garde for Mercedes-Benz. I’ll leave it to the art critics to decide whether this is up to standard from their point of view.