Daimler has announced an ambitious EV rollout for the next couple of years by introducing six models, chief of which will be the EQS. Teased here as a near-production prototype, the electric equivalent of the S-Class will be built at the new Factory 56 plant in Germany starting with the first half of 2021. Coming until the end of 2022 will be five other products: EQA, EQB, EQE, EQE SUV, and the EQS SUV.
While the car is still camouflaged, the blue “EQ” livery isn’t really hiding much. Take a closer look at the back and you can observe the EQS has a liftgate, thus making it a more practical hatchback rather than a traditional sedan like the S-Class. Those swanky LED taillights with a zigzag pattern extend onto the tailgate and might meet in the middle to form a wide bar as seen on the Vision EQS.
The side profile shows a swoopy, almost coupe-like roofline and electric pop-out door handles we’ve seen on other high-end EVs, including the Tesla Model S and Jaguar I-Pace. The front fender on the driver side incorporates the cap concealing the charging port and there seems to be another port on the right-side rear fender.
While the front end design won’t be nearly as dramatic as the Vision EQS concept’s futuristic fascia, we can already tell the EQS will look a tad more futuristic than the S-Class. Sleeker headlights and a closed-off grille will separate it from the conventionally powered model, and so will the new design for the bumper.
The interior was not teased in the adjacent images, but the Vision EQS tells us the road-going model won’t stray away too far from the new S-Class. Mercedes is likely to keep the general layout and apply changes here and there to make its flagship electric car stand out. You can rest assured the three-pointed star will throw every piece of available tech at it since that would make the most sense for a range-topping EV with a price tag to match. That should include a head-up display with augmented reality support and the company’s latest MBUX infotainment system.
The most important number on the technical specifications sheet has already been announced: 700. That refers to the kilometers the EQS will be able to cover between two charges, so we’re looking at 435 miles before having to plug it in. The number is likely based on the WLTP cycle, meaning the EPA rating for the US market will be slightly lower than that, but still enough to take on Tesla.
As for the EQS SUV, the high-riding version won’t be produced alongside the normal EQS at Factory 56. Instead, the assembly will take place from 2022 In the United States at the Tuscaloosa factory where Mercedes is also building an adjacent battery plant for the electric SUV. The smaller EQE SUV will also wear the “Made in USA” label and the two will be assembled together with the GLE, GLE Coupe, and the GLS SUVs powered by combustion engines.
