Mercedes EQS SUV unveiled

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its new all-electric offering called the EQS SUV. Yes, that’s the same name used for the brand’s flagship electric saloon, but, you’ve got the “SUV” suffix here to state the obvious. Sigh!

Anyway, the EQS SUV is higher than its saloon sibling and many of its characteristics and features will be familiar to enthusiasts of Mercedes’ current EV series.

Most visibly, the EQS SUV embodies the company’s “one-bow” aesthetic philosophy, with an aerodynamic, sloping front end and tapering greenhouse assisting it in making a great first impression.

It is undeniably futuristic in appearance, with a gloss-black grille plate including a large, centre Mercedes star. The cheerful grille is bookended by triangular headlights with three lighting components each (a Mercedes S-family hallmark), lending the EQS SUV a welcoming image upfront.

Customers may select between the Electric Art and AMG-Line body styles, with the former featuring a smooth front bumper and the latter including more aggressive elements such as corner air curtains and a front chin spoiler. The AMG influences are likely to be more popular with EQS owners, and they provide visual appeal to the rather amorphous bumper.

The cabin of the EQS SUV will seem instantly familiar to anyone who has spent time in the EQS or EQE saloons. The 450 variant includes a portrait-oriented 12.8-inch touchscreen display placed under a tilted binnacle inspired by the S-Class.

The headline-grabbing MBUX Hyperscreen, available as an option on the 450 and standard on the 580, is a single sheet of high-strength glass that conceals a 17.7-inch OLED centre display, a 12.3-inch instrument panel, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen directly in front of the passenger, allowing them to make navigation suggestions or listen to their own audio sources.

The Mercedes EQS SUV is equipped with a conventional two-row, five-seat passenger arrangement, and there is an abundance of space. The increased roofline elevates the seats, removing the slightly uncomfortable high-floor sense of the EQS saloon.

The second row electronically moves and reclines, balancing passenger and luggage capacity and comfort (or passengers and more passengers, in the case of the optional third row).

Mercedes EQS SUV power & driving range

Mercedes-Benz will offer the EQS SUV in two trim levels – EQS 450 and EQS 580 – with the former offering optional dual-motor all-wheel drive and the latter including it as standard. The EQS 450 is available with a single or twin motor and produces 355 horsepower and 568 Nm of torque, both of which are up from the saloon’s 329 bhp and 550 Nm.

The EQS 580 SUV’s larger twin motors provide a combined 536 horsepower and 858 Nm of torque, an increase of almost the same magnitude as the saloon. A 107.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery placed on the floor provides power for all trim levels.

Mercedes says the EQS 450 has a range of 600 kilometres on the WLTP standard. Although range estimates for the more powerful EQS 580 are not available, even the least efficient variant should be capable of reaching 442 kilometres without requiring a boost.

When it’s time to recharge, the EQS supports charging at 200 kW – with a DC fast charger with an average output of 110 kW, the battery may be charged from 10 to 80 percent in 31 minutes. The 10 to 100 percent charge takes 11 hours and 15 minutes when using a 240V wall box.

Mercedes EQS SUV availability

For US consumers, this is a welcome development, as they will be the first to experience the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, which will go on sale at the end of the summer.

Although pricing has not been announced, the SUV should cost a few thousand dollars more than the $103,360 EQS 450 or $126,950 EQS 580.

The India launch of this vehicle has not yet been confirmed.

Also read: 2023 BMW X7 facelift unleashed