After a busy 2021 in terms of EV launches, Mercedes is gearing up for another year with numerous electric models. Chief of which will be the EQS SUV, which Autocar states will be previewed in near-production guise this April at the Beijing Motor Show in China. Fast forward to November, the Guangzhou Motor Show will allegedly host the world premiere of the smaller EQE SUV.
It goes to show how important the Chinese market has become for Mercedes, especially since the smaller EQB made its debut in the People’s Republic as well last year. The two newcomers will obviously serve as SUV equivalents of the EQS and EQE sedans introduced in 2021. However, the bigger of the two high-riding models will be more practical by offering three-row seating. It’s said to stretch at 5,160 mm (203 inches), thus making it long enough for a seven-seat cabin.
Autocar goes on to say the EQS SUV will be equipped with a 108-kWh battery feeding juice to a pair of electric motors. One will sit at the front while the other will drive the rear wheels to enable a standard AWD system. Expect up to 516 horsepower and 630 pound-feet (854 Newton-meters) of torque for the EQS 580 SUV, which will spawn a more luxurious version for the Maybach sub-brand. Interestingly, the upscale model might switch to the EQS 600 name to showcase its extra power over its Benz-branded counterpart.
As for the EQE SUV, it will make do with a smaller 90.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and is expected to be offered in a simpler rear-wheel-drive configuration. Of course, more expensive and potent variants will add a front electric motor for the 4Matic-badged flavors. The base trim level is said to pack 288 hp and 391 lb-ft (530 Nm), although these output numbers have not been confirmed.
We wouldn’t hold our breath for ultra-quick charging thanks to an 800V electrical architecture since both the EQE SUV and EQS SUV will come with only a 400V setup. Mercedes will assemble the zero-emissions SUV duo at its Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama, United States where the conventionally powered GLE and GLS are manufactured.
Both should be on sale either by the end of the year or early 2023, with the bigger EQS SUV coming first. Further down the line, more powerful AMG derivatives will arrive to mirror the AMG-badged EQE and EQS sedans unveiled in 2021.
Joining the EQA, EQB, EQE, and EQS will be a fifth electric SUV. We’re talking about the EQG slated to arrive in 2024. In the meantime, the EQC will probably switch to its second generation and will have a sedan equivalent serving as the electric C-Class.
Source: Autocar
