Mercedes-Benz outs EQS electric limo, here Q4

MERCEDES-BENZ has at last debuted its upcoming EQS electric limousine, with the first versions of the eco-friendly flagship due to arrive in Australia in December.

Initially set to be offered in 450+ and 580 4Matic guises, the EQS is the first all-electric model from Mercedes to be underpinned by a new bespoke modular architecture designed specifically for luxury and executive-class electric vehicles.

Measuring 5216mm long, 1926mm wide and 1512mm tall, the EQS is actually marginally longer than the latest S-Class (SWB) and boasts a drag coefficient of just 0.20Cd, making it the world’s most aerodynamic production car.

That industry-leading coefficient combines with the 107.8kWh new-generation battery packs to gift the EQS a range of up to 770km depending on the variant.

As for the two variants confirmed thus far, Mercedes has revealed the EQS450+ will be rear-wheel-drive only and produce 245kW/568Nm, resulting in a 0-100km/ time of 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 210km/h.

The higher-spec – twin-motor – 580 4Matic meanwhile will channel 385kW/855Nm through all four wheels, mowing the 0-100km/h time down to 4.3 seconds, however the top speed will remain the same (210km/h).

A high-performance variant is also reportedly in the works and at this stage could develop up to 560kW of power and in excess of 1000Nm of torque.

In terms of charging capabilities, Mercedes says all EQS’ can be charged with up to 200kW when hooked up to a DC fast charger with up to 300km of range being added in just 15 minutes.

Using an 11kW wallbox at home will take 10 hours to charge the battery from empty to 100 per cent, a period halved by the use of a 22kW unit.

Being the electric counterpart of the S-Class, it should come as no surprise to find the EQS to be almost overflowing with technology, gadgetry and luxury, something Daimler and Mercedes-Benz AG CEO Ola Kallenius said was a must.

“The EQS is designed to exceed the expectations of even our most demanding customers,” he said.

“That's exactly what a Mercedes has to do to earn the letter ‘S’ in its name.

“Because we don’t award that letter lightly.”

As previously reported by GoAuto, the EQS will debut Mercedes’ new MBUX Hyperscreen; a full-width digital dashboard that will span the entirety of the dashboard, featuring artificial intelligence as well as learning capabilities to personalise journeys and the driving experience as much as possible.

Edge-to-edge, the new curved screen measures 141cm in diameter and offers a display area of 2432.11cm² with all of the touch controls providing haptic feedback upon contact.

In another brand-first, the EQS will score over-the-air (OTA) function updates, installs and activations, including two special driving programs available from launch – one for young drivers and one for service staff – and greater articulation for the rear-axle steering.

An optional extra on the S-Class, the EQS’ rear-axle steering will come as standard on all variants and offer up to 4.5 degrees of counter steering at slow speeds, a feature that can be expanded to 10 degrees with the relevant OTA update and shave a metre off the standard 11.9m turning circle.

Other key standard equipment highlights include Airmatic adaptive air suspension, four drive modes, Parking Package, head-up display, No.6 Mood Linen interior fragrance, 80kg worth of recycled materials, LED High Performance headlamps, flush door handles, 19-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, wood and Neotrix trim.

For reference, the full specifications, including variant specifics and pricing, will be released closer to the EQS’ local launch.

Standard active safety measures meanwhile are equally abundant, consisting of active distance assist, active steering assist, traffic sign assist, active lane keeping assist, active lane change assist, active emergency stop assist, attention assist, active brake assist with cross-traffic function, active blind spot assist and exit warning function and evasive steering assist.

With the EQS forming a key part of Mercedes’ Ambition 2039 initiative, electric vehicle architecture vice-president Christoph Starzynski said the “electric initiative” was in full swing with plenty more to come.

“With the EQE business saloon and the SUV variants of the EQS and EQE, further models based on the new architecture will follow soon,” he said.

Mercedes has sold 60 S-Classes so far this year ending March, accounting for a dominant 38.2 per cent of all $100,000-plus upper-large car sales.