The Mercedes-Benz EQS is up there with the best fully electric cars on the market right now, a super-premium EV which offers up impressive range, supreme comfort and heaps of forward-looking technology.
The most notable calling card of this luxury sedan is its enormous 56-inch Hyperscreen, a singular curved screen that houses three digital displays – one for instruments, infotainment and front passenger functions, respectively – and is the biggest screen ever built in a Mercedes vehicle.
The EQS sits at the top of the brand's 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.
- Porsche Taycan 4S review: if your pockets are deep enough, it's a superb EV
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range review: the Model 3 is better than ever
- Polestar 1 review: Swedish smarts with American muscle looks
Cut to the chase
- What is it? Mercedes' latest, and most premium, electric car to date
- When's it out? The EQS will be available later this year
- What does it cost? Prices start at $102,310 / £99,995 (roughly AU$170,000)
Mercedes EQS price and availability
To nobody's surprise, the Mercedes EQS is not a cheap car. Prices start at $102,310 / £99,995 for the basic EQS 450+, rising to $125,310 / £120,995 if you decide to add all of its technological bells and whistles.
Those latter prices will also allow you to buy the EQS 580 4MATIC version of the car in the US, which offers increased performance over the base model, albeit at the expense of a reduction in range.
These figures put the EQS in line with the S-Class, which makes sense, as it's essentially the all-electric alternative to the famous range.
Less easily-digestible is the add-on cost demanded by Mercedes' new Hyperscreen, which costs roughly $9,000 / AU$13,000 (confirmed as £7,995 in the UK).
As for the EQS' availability, it's already begun hitting showrooms across Europe and the UK, with US deliveries set to begin in the "fall of 2021" (meaning November at the latest).
The EQS 450+ RWD (rear-wheel drive) variant of the car is the one currently on sale in the UK, boasting a 245kW output and a 108kW battery. Other markets, including a number of European countries and the US, will get (or have already got) the option of the aforementioned EQS 580 4MATIC - although it may come to the UK at a later date.
Mercedes EQS range and charging
- Mercedes EQS range of up to 780km (around 485 miles)
- 300km / 180 miles in 15 minutes with 200kW fast charge
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).
Mercedes EQS performance and handling
- EQS 450+: RWD, 245kW, 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds
- EQS 580 4Matic: AWD, 385kW, 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.
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.
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.
There's also a performance AMG version of the Mercedes EQS on the way, too, which the firm says will have a power output of 560kW and could well provide a 0-62 mph time of 3 seconds or quicker.
Mercedes claims the AMG EQS 53 is "made for car enthusiasts who are looking for a combination of innovative electric mobility in a luxurious ambience, coupled with sportiness and agile driving dynamics," though we don't expect it to hit the road until mid-2022.
Mercedes EQS model breakdown
| Header Cell - Column 0 | 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
The Mercedes EQS is the first model from the firm to have the roughly $9,000 / AU$13,000 (confirmed as £7,995 in the UK) 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 EQS sound
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.
Mercedes EQS design
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).
- EV charging connector types: what they are and how they compare
