The Mercedes-Benz EQS is a super-premium, fully electric car which offers up impressive range, supreme comfort and a heap of technology. One of the main talking points in this luxury sedan is its huge 56-inch Hyperscreen which dominates the space in front of passengers. It sits at the top of Mercedes' fully electric range, with the EQA, EQB and EQC SUVs providing more affordable alternatives, and loosely goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model S, Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan, although really it sits in a premium tier above all three, currently by itself. We've already have the pleasure of driving the Mercedes-Benz EQS, albeit only for a few hours. You can read our first impressions, while a full Mercedes EQS review will arrive in the coming months when we're able to test it for a longer period. No surprise here, this is not a cheap car. The Mercedes-Benz EQS price starts at €106,374.10 (roughly $120,000 / £90,000 / AU$170,000) in Germany, where the car is currently available to configure and pre-order. That's the starting price for the entry-level EQS 450+ model, while the EQS 580 4MATIC starts at a loftier €135,529.10 (roughly $155,000 / £115,000 / AU$220,000). The EQS 580 4MATIC model gives you increased performance over the base model, but a reduction in range. The prices put the EQS in line with the S-Class, which makes sense as it's essentially the all-electric alternative to the famous range. If you want to include the aforementioned, 56-inch 'Hyperscreen' infotainment display, you'll need to fork out an additional €8,568 (roughly $9,000 / £7,000 / AU$13,000). There's no firm Mercedes EQS release date just yet, all we know is it will be available later in 2021, with Germany likely to be the first country to see cars delivered, with the US, UK and other markets to see deliveries start towards the end of this year. In terms of availability, the UK will get the EQS 450+ with RWD (rear-wheel drive), 245kW output and a 108kW battery. Other markets, including a number of European countries, also get the option of the more powerful EQS 580 4MATIC - although it may come to the UK at a later date. Thanks to recording-breaking aerodynamics, the Mercedes EQS boasts a staggering range of up to 780km (around 484 miles) WLTP on the EQS 450+ giving it a far greater range from a single charge than most other electric cars currently available. If you opt for the more powerful EQS 580 4MATIC the range drops, but it's still sizable with up to 676 km (around 420 miles) WLTP of range. You're unlikely to manage those touted figures in daily use, but during our limited time with the Mercedes EQS 450+ we were comfortably getting over 400 miles from a single charge. The EQS is available as rear-wheel (450+) and all-wheel drive (580 4MATIC), battery sizes are 90 kWh and 107.8 kWh respectively, there's support for 200kW fast charging (300km / 180 miles in 15 minutes according to Mercedes) and speed is limited to 210km/h (130 mph). There's plenty of power on offer inside the Mercedes EQS. The entry-level, rear-wheel drive EQS 450+ model can produce 245kW of power, with a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 6.2 seconds and a limited top speed of 210 km/h (around 130 mph). If you opt for the more powerful, all-wheel drive EQS 580 4Matic the power output increases to 385kW and the 0-62 mph time drops to a swift 4.3 seconds - while the top speed remains the same. There's also a performance AMG version of the Mercedes EQS in the works, which the firm says will have a power output of 560kW, which could well provide a 0-62 mph time of 3 seconds or quicker. The Mercedes EQS is a long car, but it comes with rear-axle steering as standard, which can see the rear wheels turn by up to 4.5 degrees, improving the handling and offering a turning circle of 11.9 meters. There will be the option to upgrade (either at point of purchase, or via an over-the-air update) the rear-axle steering to 10 degrees of movement, reducing the turning circle of this five meter plus vehicle to 10.9 meters. The Mercedes EQS is the first model from the firm to have the €8,568 (roughly $9,000 / £7,000 / AU$13,000) option of the new Hyperscreen. The huge 56-inch Hyperscreen spans the entire width of the EQS, incorporating two turbine shaped air vents and three separate displays. There's a central 17.7-inch main display, 12.3-inch passenger display and 12.3-inch instrument cluster display. The system runs the new MBUX interface and it's powered by an eight-core CPU with 24GB of RAM. Packed beneath the touchscreen are 12 actuators which provide haptic feedback during operation. This generates a sensation similar to pressing a physical button when your finger touches the screen, providing assurance that your input has registered. Mercedes says it's the most intelligent screen it's ever put in a car, featuring a smart voice assistant with supports 27 different languages, plus there's Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility too. Mercedes has also developed a trio of different 'sound worlds' for the EQS. As electric cars being far quieter than their combustion engine counterparts, manufacturers are looking at novel ways to offer audible feedback to drivers. The answer Mercedes has come up with are three different sound worlds; Silver Waves (which is plain, pure and simple, according to Merc), Vivid Flux (apparently targeted at techies) and Roaring Pulse (for those who have strong associations with powerful machines). These sounds are played through 15 speakers located throughout the cabin to create a 3D world and they respond to the driving mode your in and the current situation. If you're driving in Comfort mode at low speeds around the city the sounds will be minimal, however switch to Sport mode and put your foot down and things become much more audible. There's no toggle for the volume of these sounds worlds, so you'll have to make do with the dynamic volume the EQS decides on - but the good news for those who may be put off by all this is you can turn the sound worlds off completely if you prefer silence. The Mercedes EQS will gain more sound experiences in the future, with the firm confirming it'll be adding more in over-the-air updates down the line. As the name suggests, the EQS is a close relative of the S-Class saloon, with the two sharing similar body shapes and design features. The Mercedes EQS is a premium saloon with a long, low profile, measuring 5.2 meters in length and almost two meters wide, while it tips the scales are 2.5 tons. Part of the reason the EQS can achieve such standout range is the fact it holds a world record for aerodynamics, as the first car production car in the world with a Cd value starting from 0.20. Depending on the model and line of EQS you opt for, you'll get either 19-inch or 20-inch wheels and a range of equipment. Another optional extra available on the EQS are automatic comfort doors, which see all the door handles (which sit flush against the doors) extend out as you approach the vehicle, and as you get closer the driver's doors will automatically open. Once inside the vehicle, the driver is able to automatically open rears doors of the EQS via the MBUX interface. There's more interior space than any other electric luxury sedan currently on the market (albeit a small market for now).
Cut to the chase
Mercedes EQS price and availability
Mercedes EQS range and charging
Mercedes EQS performance and handling
Mercedes EQS model breakdown
EQS 450+
EQS 580 4MATIC
Drive layout
Rear-wheel
All-wheel
0-100km/h (0-62mph)
6.2 seconds
4.3 seconds
Top speed
210 km/h (limited)
210 km/h (limited)
Range
780 km (~484 miles) WLTP
676 km (~420 miles) WLTP
Max power output
245kW
385kW
DC charging capacity
200kW
200kW
15 minute charge at max
Up to 300km
Up to 260km
Mercedes EQS Hyperscreen
Mercedes EQS sound
Mercedes EQS design
source https://www.techradar.com/news/mercedes-eqs/
Friday, August 20, 2021
Mercedes EQS: everything you need to know about the super-premium EV
