The EQS SUV from German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz has gone on sale in Europe, with the first models expected to be delivered to customers in December.
Mercedes-Benz launched the EQS SUV in April in a digital event showcasing the third electric vehicle (EV) to be built on the company’s dedicated EV architecture. Seating seven and offering a driving range of up to 660-kilometres (WLTP), the EQS SUV comes in three drive variants and three model types.
Distinct from the Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan – which garnered unwanted headlines this week after the company was forced to issue a recall for 660 models in China due to potential faults – the EQS SUV is now available for order and will reach first customers in Europe in December.
With power output of 265kW for both the base model EQS 450+ and the second tier EQS 450 4MATIC, and up to 400kW for the top-of-the-line EQS 580 4MATIC, the EQS SUV delivers torque of 568Nm at the base model and up to 858Nm at the top end.
Charging time for AC is between 5 and 10 hours depending on power, while maximum DC charging at 200kW takes only 31 minutes to get from 10% to 80%.
Inside, the EQS offers plenty of space and comfort, with electrically adjusted seats in the second row as standard, and all rear seats fold flat to the floor.
A huge range of expensive extras are also available, including the MBUX Augmented Reality Head-up Display, a radiator grille with Mercedes-Benz pattern, MBUX Interior Assistant, Trailer Manoeuvring Assist, and sidebags in the rear.
Produced at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa in the United States in what the company describes as “a CO2-neutral manner”, those looking to get their hands on the SUV will have to lay down €110,658 (around $A162,000) for the base model EQS 450+, and up to €114,446 and €135,291 (around $A168,000 to $A199,000) respectively for the EQS 450 4MATIC and EQS 580 4MATIC.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.