This is a common practice in the automotive industry, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, an early prototype drive by the media gives the engineers the opportunity to collect some feedback outside their normal testing cycle. Secondly, the marketing and press departments get to further tease their products before the official market launch. In this case, the official unveil is scheduled for April 20th, and that’s when we will get to see the new 7 Series and i7 in all its glory.

Driving A Camouflaged Prototype

As was the case with the BMW i4 prototype, the test vehicles are always covered with a camouflage tape. The BMW i7 and 7 Series gasoline-powered prototypes were no exception. The morning kicks off in Maisach where BMW also hosts a series of driving schools. The schedule has me driving the petrol-powered 7 Series back-to-back with the i7. And that’s certainly interesting because the two prototypes can’t be any different. The conventional 7 Series uses the new S68 V8 4.4 liter engine with a 48-Volt mild hybrid, while the i7 is a fully-electric drivetrain sharing some components with the BMW iX.

I will talk about the S68 and new 7 Series in a separate drive review, so in this article, the i7 takes the centerstage.

Typical amenities for a luxury limousine

From a tech perspective, BMW hasn’t shared many things with us in the briefing. I was only told that this is a pure electric 7 Series with your typical limousine amenities: integral steering, four-wheel steering, electronically-adjustable dampers and air suspension. There was no word on the battery capacity, range, horsepower output, or any other juicy tech tidbits. But luckily I covered the BMW i7 quite a bit in the past so I was able to draw some educated guesses.

For starters, the BMW i7 prototype felt like a car delivering at least 500 horsepower. As a matter of fact, it felt even more powerful than the BMW iX xDrive50 which comes with 516 horsepower. So I would say that the power range is somewhere between that and 550 ponies. Furthermore, based on pushing the i7 prototype through some tight corners, I’m certain that the xDrive system was part of the package.

So if I put this data together, it’s almost likely that this is an early prototype of the BMW i7 xDrive60 which was recently leaked by BMW of North America. But regardless of its name, the purpose of this test drive was to experience the driving dynamics of the new electric limousine. So the route has me going over a short stretch of unlimited Autobahn speeds before jumping onto the picturesque curvy roads around Munich.

One Word: FAST!

My first impressions? The BMW i7 is bonkers fast. Despite being a quite large and heavy car, the i7 is effortless to drive, and extremely quick off the line. A soft tap on the drive pedal is enough to put you back in the seat before reaching borderline legal speeds. There was no scientific test performed, but I’m confident that a 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) will certainly come in the low 4 seconds.

And just like with the i4 and iX, the torque delivery is instant and fun. Cruising through tight bends reminds me why electric cars can be and will be fun to drive. Not only you can push the car to higher limits, thanks to the quicker power delivery, but you can also effortlessly overtake any slow traffic. There is an eBoost function as well – just like the other electric BMWs – but of course BMW held back those details. Yet, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to feel the extra power and torque delivered in short bursts.

The two-axle air suspension behaves just like in the previous generation, but of course, it has been dialed in for the electric drivetrain and the size of the new 7 Series. It also works together with electronically controlled shocks and adjustable suspension height settings. The suspension automatically adjusts the body height with a lower ride in the Sport Mode. Of course, damping is continuously adjusted, enabling the new i7 to stabilize and smoothen out all irregularities in the road surface.

A new steering gear with standard variable ratio steering rack is also part of the BMW i7 package and that works hand-in-hand with the Integral Active Steering. The latter comes with acoustic decoupling and HSR rear axle slip angle control. Thanks to the four-wheel steering, the rear wheels can turn opposite to the front wheels to increase agility in corners. Of course, it also decreases the turning radius when parking. At high speeds, the rear wheels also turn with the front wheels to increase stability. BMW says that the rear-wheel angle can rise to 3.5 degrees.

The BMW i7 electric also features a near-actuator wheel slip allowing fully variable power transmission between the front and rear wheels. And just like with all rear-wheel drive-based BMWs, the i7 has a RWD bias in normal driving scenarios. Of course, pushing the cars into corners will deliver additional traction at the front-wheels. The overall package certainly feels similar to what I experienced in the BMW iX, but naturally, it has been adapted to the 7 Series platform.

The BMW i7 feels nimble on its toes and it would often make me forget about its heavy weight. The integrated braking system was paired in this prototype with 18 and 19 inch M Sport Brakes which proved quite useful in a couple of close calls.

Lighter Nose, Softer Steering

The steering feedback varies from the V8-powered 7 Series. The lack of a heavy front engine gives the i7 a lighter nose and in turn, a softer steering and decreased feedback from the road. I was also told that there is a slight variation in the balance of the cars as well, but no specifics were given at this time. In my experience, the BMW i7’s steering has a lot more dead zones than in the “regular” 7 Series and certainly feels lighter. Switching to Sport Mode will, of course, fix parts of that behavior.

Speaking of driving modes, the BMW i7 prototype had two modes enabled for me: Personal and Sport. The former delivers balanced settings across the entire tech stack,` and a softer ride, while the latter amps up the sportiness of the electric limousine. And just like most recent BMWs, the gap between the driving modes is significant. That’s by design though, as BMW wants to offer dual-character cars.

I would recommend the Sport Mode if you ride solo in the car, but certainly ride with the balanced setup if you have passengers with you. You also need to be careful with acceleration and braking in an electric car because you can experience motion sickness on an extended car rides. But of course, you can adjust the deceleration via the regenerative braking as well. BMW hasn’t really touched on the subject of brake-regen in the i7, but I’m convinced my prototype was set up in the Adaptive mode. And just like in the iX, the regenerative braking can change with data from the navigation system and by the sensors of the driver assistance systems.

The Most Advanced Driver Assistance Features

That brings me to the next point. The new BMW 7 Series, and implicitly the i7, comes with an extensive system of sensors and radars. A camera for object recognition is embedded in the top section of the windshield, along with a front-view camera placed in the bumper. There are two side mirror cameras and a rear-view one. Two near-range radars sit at the front of the car, along with a long-range radar. Another couple short range radars are placed at the rear of the 7 Series. Furthermore, BMW has included 12 ultrasonic sensors, split across the front and rear of the car.

Level 2 Plus Features

All this new tech works together in delivering the most advanced driver assistance system in any BMW. The new 7 Series and i7 comes with an Assisted View feature which provides augmented reality extension in the instrument cluster. There is also a new Highway Assistant (available only in the U.S. and Canada), along with a Highway Exit Assistant. The latter allows the car to change up to six lanes by itself before existing a highway. The feature will let you know as you approach your exit and by tapping the turn signal, you can confirm the exit.

The former is quite interesting too. By simply taping the turn signal in the desired direction, the new 7 Series will change the lanes. If the car detects is safe to do so. The car will also adjust its speed to safely perform the procedure. Of course, a throttle push will temporarily disable it. The Highway Assistant works at speeds up to 85 mph (137 km/h). Also, for the first time, the driver can enjoy the hands-free driving experience for prolonged times since a push on the drive or brake pedal won’t immediately disable the Level 2 Plus features. But it rather revers to Level 2 functions.

German customers also get the Urban Cruise Control with traffic light recognition. The usual Active Lane Guiding, Emergency Assistant, Collision Warning and Intelligent Speed Assistant are also included. BMW labels these new driver assistance systems as Level 2+, but the new 7 Series and i7 feature the sensor setup for a Level 3 implementation.

The parking systems have been enhanced in the new BMW 7 Series. There is now a Remote Maneuver Assistant, Parking Assistant Professional and Reversing Assistant Professional. The latter can record the path up to 100 meters.

Rolling Noise Kept In Check

Despite rolling on 20 inch wheels with winter tires, the BMW i7 was incredibly silent on the road. There was nearly no outside noise trickling in and the tire noise was kept on the outside as well.  As an alternative to the 20-inch light-alloy wheels, there is a choice of 21-inch Air Performance Wheels. These deliver lower air drag and can be fitted with noise-reduced tire, which have a layer of foam on their inner surface.

The last section of my test route takes me onto the German autobahn where I had the chance to push the car to its top limit. 225 km/h comes really quick in the BMW i7, but of course, at the expense of the electric range. No word yet on the top speed.

Interior Design Similar To The iX

Naturally, some of you might be wondering about the interior design of the BMW i7, but the cabin was well camouflaged and not specc’ed with production-ready materials. Yet, there are a few things worth reporting on. Just like we mentioned in previous articles, the BMW 7 Series, and implicitly the i7, will get the two large and connected curved displays from the iX. The new 7 Series also seems to drop the physical buttons for adjusting the cabin temperature. The center console mimics the one in the iX with a minimalistic iDrive controller and gear shifter. The option of closing the doors with a touch of a button was also present, along with a new steering design featuring a flat bottom.

Unfortunately we couldn’t see the new 31-inch theater screen but we will have a chance to play with that before the official unveil.

Conclusion

Overall, the BMW i7 replicates the iX formula for luxury limousines. In many ways, the two cars are similar, but of course, the driving dynamics slightly vary. In the end, the BMW i7 is the answer to a market looking for a high-end luxurious and electric sedan, therefore it will come with features catering to that customer base. This BMW i7 prototype already feels like a well-refined product with good driving dynamics, and hopefully, decent electric range. Because despite all the luxury amenities and high-tech features, an electric limousine has to deliver a compelling driving range along with fast charging times. And implicitly, a great network infrastructure. But more on that later as we get behind the wheel of the BMW i7 production series.

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The i7 is rumored to deliver between 500 and 550 horsepower, and massive amount of torque. There are no official specs yet since all the details are kept under wraps until April 20th. BMWBLOG says that the i7’s acceleration is instant and brutal, making for an extremely fast driving experience. The BMW i7 prototype was also equipped with an air suspension, four-wheel steering, integral steering and electronic adjustable dampers.

There was no scientific test performed, but the reviewer is confident that a 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) will come in the low 4 seconds. As of right now, there’s at least one model variant confirmed — the BMW i7 xDrive60. On BMW’s website, it reveals a few interesting details about the BMW i7 xDrive60, enough that we can begin to make some likely accurate assumptions. For starters, it’s going to have a BMW-claimed maximum range of 324 miles. That range figure tells us it might have the same 105.2 kWh usable battery pack as the BMW iX xDrive50, as that car also has a max range of 324 miles.

There will be additional models; a higher-performance model and a potential entry-level model. The higher performance model was already teased by BMW CTO Frank Weber. The development boss said that the most powerful 7 Series model will be all-electric which could point to a BMW i7 M70.

However, for now the BMW i7 xDrive60 is all that’s confirmed and these options are all that BMW has released. We’ll see the rest on April 20.

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The Fun Minivan

The 230e Active Tourer PHEV delivers 240 kW/326 hp and 480 Nm of torque, thanks to a combination of the combustion engine with 110 kW/150 hp and an electric motor – 130 kW/177 hp. The official performance figures put the 230e Active Tourer at 5.5 seconds for the standard sprint. The electric range is 90 km (56 miles) on the WLTP cycle, coming from a battery pack of 14.2 kWh (16.3 kWh gross). The electric motor is positioned at the rear axle, so thanks to its higher power output, the power distribution is often sent to the rear wheels. Who knew you can almost get a rear-wheel driven 2 Series Active Tourer?

The high voltage battery is placed in the underfloor structure of the 230e Active Tourer, therefore, the new minivan has a fairly low center of gravity which translates into a more dynamic and fun driving experience. The standard 2 Series Active Tourer has 470 liters of cargo space, but fold the rear seats and its cargo space expands for 1,455 liters. Hybrid models lose a bit of space, dropping to 406/1,370 liters. CO2 emissions are impressively low – between 22 and 30 g/km. Same goes for the fuel consumption  – 1.4-1.1 L/100 km, enough for an estimated range of 600 km/h.

Snappy And Efficient

To sample the first-ever BMW 23oe Active Tourer PHEV, we went for a spirited drive around Malaga, Spain. A lead car takes us through city center first where we get to experience the all-electric drivetrain and its regenerative braking. The intelligent system can automatically detect a car in front and will adjust the amount of braking accordingly. But if you put the car into Sport Mode, then the one-pedal feel takes over.

This is the most aggressive mode of the regen braking, yet the integration between the electric motor and the braking system is extremely smooth and almost unnoticeable. According to the BMW engineers on site, the braking system only takes over when the level of deceleration is 0.15 g. The Boost mode is another lovely feature in the new BMW 230e Active Tourer. A paddle shifter behind the steering wheel will activate the “fun mode” offering additional acceleration power for up to 10 seconds.

The 230e Active Tourer certainly feels faster than the quoted 5.5 seconds sprint, despite being about 200 kilograms heavier than the 223i. The steering is on the light side, but that’s expected from this platform, while the suspension’s firmness can greatly vary from Comfort to Sport Mode. The driving experience is certainly more enjoyable than the pure ICE models and it often feels more like an EV than hybrid.

The test sample was quite short, around 45 minutes of city and mountain roads driving, so there isn’t enough data to assess the electric range. But the onboard computer showed a real life range of 80 kilometers. Of course, that will vastly vary from driver to driver.

Should I Buy One?

BMW’s 230e Active Tourer is not only the rockstar of the minivan family, but of the entire PHEV lineup at the moment. It’s likely that future BMWs will adopt this drivetrain, but until then, the 230e Active Tourer offers a unique proposition to customers and we can see why it could become a huge volume car for the brand. It’s practical and eco-friendly, and will make for a fun minivan picking up your kids from school.

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The lower-spec BMW i4 eDrive40 may cause some people to say that it doesn’t have enough power. Sure, it’s an argument, but how much power do you really need? There are still more than 300 ponies available if you need them and that’s plenty. Most cars on the road these days don’t ever reach that number anyway. Another argument is that it doesn’t have all-wheel drive, being a single-motor setup, powering the rear wheel exclusively. That may actually hold more water as a con, but only to some extent.

Unless you live in a really cold climate, with some snow from time to time, you don’t actually need all-wheel drive. It’s nice to have, but not a necessity. As a pro, on the other hand, the eDrive40 has more range than the M50 version of the i4 and that’s probably going to win over a lot of people.

How is that possible? Well, it’s a lighter model, and has only one motor, compared to the dual-setup of the M50 alternative. It’s a lot slower too and doesn’t have an M badge in the front grille, but for most people it may turn out to be more than enough car. At least that’s what the video below seems to suggest.

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That’s why cars like the Kia EV6 also get a lot of praise and spark a lot of enthusiasm. Kia and Hyundai have been on a steady growth pattern in the last 20 years or so. They have been offering a lot of very good cars for decent prices. With the new, electric era just around the corner, the automotive market is curious to see how they will handle it. The answer to their potential success lies in the new E-GMP platform they developed.

Electric-Focused Platform

E-GMP stands for Electric Global Modular Platform and it was developed from the ground up to house electric models, and to be modular. That means it will underpin all the Battery Electric Vehicles to come from Seoul from now on. The first effort from Kia comes in the shape of the EV6, a car that, in theory, has all the tech you could possibly need, at a decent price.

That last bit is important because customers have been getting used to great deals from their Kia dealers. They also come with some of the longest warranties in the industry and that shows that Kia stands behind its products. At the same time, the EV6 is not necessarily cheap, at least according to Kia standards. The pricing is starting at $56,000 and while in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t seem like that much, makes the EV6 the most expensive car you can get from the South Korean manufacturer right now. And that’s the starting price! So, is it worth the money?

Great Looks With Higher Price Tags

The EV6 definitely has the looks for that price tag. It’s the first Kia to step away from what has become a trademark feature on the South Korean models lately: the Tiger Nose. Understandably so since the front end of the EV6 had to be streamlined and blocked out to make the car as aerodynamic as possible.

The front fascia is dominated by the headlights and their V-shaped LED daytime running lights, along with the noticeable creases on the hood. The nose is very slanted and the hood is rather big, making the whole fron- end of the car seem like it’s somehow an arrowhead pointing down. Round the back, you can’t help but notice the lightbar spreading from side to side and a somewhat familiar design, if you’ve ever seen an Aston Martin DBX.

In the metal, the EV6 feels a lot bigger than it does in the pictures. The proportions of the car make it seem smaller than it actually is. It’s nearly 1.9-meters wide and 4.7 meters long, making it an easy crossover, not a sporty hatchback as you might’ve thought at first.

It’s the length that takes you by surprise the most. Thanks to the modular, electric platform it is built on, the EV6 has its wheels positioned towards the extremities of the car’s body, offering an ample wheelbase of 2.9-meters. That’s along the lines of what a 5 Series will get you, but with a lot more room inside.

Step inside and you’ll notice that there’s ample room for just about anything, with one exception: headroom. For some reason, the Kia designers decided to somehow flatten the greenhouse of the EV6. Even though it’s just 1.550 millimeters tall, its ground clearance of 160 millimeters somehow squishes the proportions of the car. From the outside you may miss it. Sure, the keen-eyed will notice the small windows, but you really take it in once you step inside.

Up front and in the back, the headroom is rather limited, if you’re over 6-ft tall. That’s surprising, to say the least. Luckily, there’s ample knee room and those in the back can recline their seats, to get a bit more headroom. If you’re on the driver’s seat though and you’re tall, you might be looking at the sun visor most of the time while driving.

The floor is flat though and favors using it to the max. Up front, the center armrest has a floating design and plenty of storage spaces for everything you could imagine. There are also no less than four charging outlets (including the 12V socket) and you could probably shove a small backpack in the storage space under the armrest.

Plenty Of Tech And Good Quality Materials

As for the materials used, the perceived quality in this car will vary depending on the way you spec it. Our tester was a GT-Line model with all the bells and whistles. Those included perforated leather and a soft-touch plastic on the dash and center armrest. The door panels also feature soft-touch plastics on the top half and a cheaper alternative towards the bottom. The dashboard is where things become even more interesting. That’s because it is dominated by two 12.3-inch screens that come as standard on all EV6 models. They are, as you might be suspecting, used as an instrument cluster and infotainment system. Both have great graphics, high resolutions and work flawlessly. You get Android Auto and Apple Carplay as standard.

Inside the right-side screen you’ll find a menu for the electric gremlins under the sheet metal, letting you know that there’s a massive battery hidden in the floor along with one or two electric motors powering the car.

Depending on what you choose, the EV6 can be had in a number of guises. There are two rear-wheel drive versions and two all-wheel drive alternatives, the latter coming with a dual-motor setup, one for each axle. You can also choose from two different battery sizes: 58 kWh and 77 kWh. Our tester was the RWD Long Range version. That means it had one electric motor, on the rear axle, good for 228 HP and 350 Nm of torque, quenching its thirst for electrons from a 77-kWh battery.

310 Miles on EPA Rating

According to the EPA, this version of the EV6 should have a range of 310 miles on a single charge (500 kilometers), which is incredibly impressive. If you do the math, it will add up to 4 miles/kWh. However, real life scenarios will differ and really put this claim to the test. During my time with the car, the results were wildly different but there were also some elements working against the EV6.

As we all know, electric cars really don’t fare well in cold weather. Studies have shown that the range in the cold can drop by 10 to 40%, or even more. Unfortunately for me, while I had the car for testing purposes, the exterior temperature didn’t go over 5 degrees Celsius. Most of the time, they were actually negative, around -2 degrees. Furthermore, the car was wearing winter tires and 20” wheels, which are known to be less efficient that the 19” ones on which WLTP and EPA tests are carried out.

That said, the overall energy consumption recorded by the car was around 21 kWh/100 km covered. Around town, the range was about 370 kilometers while on the highway, at an average speed of 130 km/h, that range dropped to around 300 kilometers. I should mention that I did not cut any creature comforts either, keeping the AC at 21 degrees Celsius and using only Comfort mode at all times. Eco or ECO+ modes might’ve helped but I wasn’t chasing the best possible result but more along the lines of a worst-case scenario. It’s better to arrive at a charger with more range than you expected than the other way around.

Speaking of which, the EV6 does have a massive plus on its side when it comes to charging: the 800V architecture. That means that it can take up more power from the charger than most of its rivals, the maximum being 350 kW. If you can find a charger that powerful, you should replenish your battery (up to 80%) in some 18 minutes. Shockingly fast!

The problem is, such powerful chargers are scarce and you rarely come across one. Most of the DC CCS chargers are 50 kW or 75 kW units and that means the charging process will take a lot longer. During my time with the car, I used a 75 kW charger twice, getting the battery from 40% to 80% on both occasions in about 20 minutes.

Driving Experience

Once charged up, you can set off to see how this car drives and it’s not bad at all. Kia says it was developed to deliver a sportier ride than its Hyundai Ioniq 5 brother and, even though I didn’t get to drive that car yet, the EV6 felt rather well damped and planted on the road.

The suspension is one of the highlights, absorbing bumps and imperfections rather well. That’s one of the faults that many electric cars have to this day, especially those developed on platforms that were initially designed for ICE models. The added weight of the batteries makes the ride harsh and unsettled. That was not the case with the EV6 and you could tell it was created from the ground up to be electric. The dampening was perfectly set up, and the car keeps its composure in most situations, remaining quiet over uneven surfaces too.

Don’t think of it as a sports car though, at least not in this Long Range, RWD guise. Sure, you can get the back to slide out as the instant torque will spin up the rear wheels, but we’re still talking about a car that weighs 2 tons and has just 228 HP. Therefore, the 0-100 km/h sprint takes 7.3 seconds and the top speed is limited to 185 km/h.

Even so, in Sport mode, the EV6 feels lively. The steering is direct but lacks feedback, but the rear end is bursting at the seams with torque, every time you even look in the direction of the go-faster pedal. The weight is well distributed over both axles and, even though it doesn’t have adaptive dampers, the car’s weight is kept well under control. The ride is a bit on the harsher side of things but I wouldn’t necessarily call it stiff.

And while driving it fast definitely will get your heartbeat going, it’s when you relax behind the wheel that you actually get to enjoy the EV6. The new-age EV comes with a lot of tech on-board to help you out, from adaptive regenerative braking (which works wonderful) to driving aides of all sorts. You can get a steering assistant, highway driving assistant and you’re kept safe at all times by the blind-spot monitoring system that uses the cameras in the side mirrors to warn you if there’s anything behind you. Once you turn on the blinker, a live feed from the cameras pops up un your dash.

The highway assistant isn’t bad either. It will actually help you switch lanes. Once you turn the adaptive cruise control on, along with the lane keeping assistant, the HDA will be on too. Therefore, once you signal a lane switch, the car will actually turn for you ever so slightly. You’ll still be better off doing it yourself, but it’s a nice gesture from Kia to include this system in the mix.

Another nice bit of tech the EV6 has is Vehicle to Load. This technology is considered a sort of essential kit by many car makers in the industry. That’s because it allows the car to feed energy into the grid, not just the other way around. In the future, when electric cars will be dominating the scene, this tech could help stabilize grids when they are under heavy stress. Furthermore, you can also use this tech to power up various appliances or even another electric car, albeit only with up to 3.5 kW.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the EV6 delivers on all fronts and then some. It’s a capable, comfortable and sometimes sporty car that has all the tech it needs to become a best-seller. It is, without a doubt, one of the best electric cars out there today, faults included. The only issue some people will find with it will be the price and that’s only because this is a Kia. Overall though, it’s worth the money, if you’re interested in a cutting-edge electric model.

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The total absence of any kind of emotion through the controls made  for me an experience I would not want to repeat again soon. The engineers at AMG however ensured me that they were up to the task of providing me with a much better, involving drive. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and took the EQS 53 AMG for a spin, on LA highways and a mountain pass near Palm Springs. My thoughts? Let me surprise you!

A High-Performance Electric Limousine

Many people including AMG themselves will let you believe that the EQS is AMG’s first attempt at an all-electric performance car. That’s not completely true. The limited-run SLS Electric Drive, revealed in 2012 is officially the first EV from Affalterbach, but you could argue that the EQS is the first mass-produced EV. It combines luxury and performance in a package that isn’t available in the current automotive world. Of course, other manufacturers like Audi, BMW, Lexus, Infinity, Bentley and Rolls-Royce will follow in the years to come, but at this moment the EQS is alone in this market space.

The car rides on Mercedes’ EVA2 group platform for electric vehicles, including the EQE and where we will also see the EQS SUV, EQE SUV and a future EQS Maybach variant. The aim for the AMG EQS is to proof that an AMG electric car can have a powerful personality as its internally combusting brethren. Yes, I am aware that the sonorous sound track from an ICE AMG is totally missing, but the last decade there has been more to AMG than just tyre smoking hooligans with the monstrous V8 soundtrack. More sophisticated driving characters have flowed into the different vehicles, making them better driving machines without losing the distinct nature of an AMG.

The EQS the engineers really looked where they could actively insert AMG’s DNA into the mix. It meant dramatically improving straight-line performance, increase the emphasis on handling and driver involvement, and increase the braking performance, but also look at enhancing the driver focus in connection to the cabin interface, altering the styling and increase its presence, to add a host of performance-focused technology and drive modes inside for the driver and its passenger to enjoy.

Drivetrain And Performance

Let’s start under the “bonnet”. The EQS 53 has a twin-motor setup similar to the EQS 580. The motors have improved hardware, better cooling and enhanced software allowing for a performance output of 484 kw or 560 kw (more on this later) and 1020 Nm of torque. The battery connected to both AMG-derived motors is the 108 kwh package we saw on the other EQS models. The difference between both performance levels is based around you as customer opting for the AMG Dynamic Plus package. With the package installed, the 0-100 km/h sprint is done in 3.4 seconds, 0.4 faster than without the package. The top speed also goes up when you check the box on the order form: 250 km/h instead of 220 km/h.

All in all, it’s not too bad if you consider the immense size and 2,575 kg kerb weight of the car. This size and weight, of course, becomes even more obvious and a notable point when I took the EV up a sloping mountain pass with hairpins. Add this to horrific weather combining horizontal rain, 8 degrees outside temperature, plus heavy winds, and the overall challenge of keeping it on the road should have been more challenging than it really was.

Start to chuck it into corners and you feel the EQS’ weight come into play. The tuned chassis, however, really makes the AMG EQS stand out from its Benz counterparts. The air suspension and rear-wheel steering – both standard – plus the enhanced steering allow for a completely different experience over the normal EQS I drove in July. The vehicle feels more connected to the road and enables you to be more precise. The more communicative steering feel isn’t sportscar-like, but does allow you to feel a lot more confident through the corners and use the dual motors’ performance to really attack faster bends. The car feels surprisingly more agile and lighter as if AMG have shed off a few hundred kilos somewhere along the way.

Driving Modes Specific To EVs

The driving modes offer different steps when it comes to your connection with the car. Quite similar to what you feel in other AMG vehicles. The most noticeable are the different synthetic sounds pumped into the cabin, making the EV experience more pronounced. If requested, they can be switched off, of course. Via the steering-wheel-mounted paddles you are able to alter the level of energy regeneration in three steps. Keep it in the middle for the best brake feel, which as a whole has improved greatly over the EQS 580, but its inconsistent pedal travel still requires some adjustment after stepping out of a conventual car.

All credit goes to the engineers at AMG, who kept their promise and developed a package that is considerably more agile and enjoyable to drive. The overall balance of the car is impressive to say the least. Of course. there is more tire noise and a firmer ride, but that is also what you would expect from an AMG model. All in all, the connection with the road has overall been improved, while the engineers didn’t touch on the sheer essence of what an EQS should bring to the table. This is felt after you leave the twisty roads behind and drive the EQS in a more civilized manner. At that moment, the luxury model will reward you with the same refinement as the non-AMG models.

This leaves us with a small recap of what the EQS platform has to offer and how the EQS 53 differs from its Benz brothers when it comes to exterior or interior design. Let’s first look at the outside. The Germans fitted a black panel front grille with horizontal struts and a series of AMG batches. The digital front lights are standard and you have the choice between 21 or 22 inch AMG specific wheels in Heritage or Aero designs shod in Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires. The rear spoiler and rear diffuser are AMG specific.

High-Tech Cabin

On the inside, you are greeted by the standard EQS package featuring a few AMG highlights. The 56-inch Hyperscreen comes as standard and is a total of 1.4 meters wide. Within each of the three OLED screens you have the AMG performance menu or AMG center cluster options available for you. The AMG steering wheel is combined by AMG style seats and the use of Alcantara throughout the interior. The base of the seats in the front and rear are still too short for my liking. The side bolsters of the front seats have been clearly improved and keep you better planted.

On the charging front, the 108kw batter offers a 585 km range and the ability to recharge 300 km of range in 19 minutes, and from 10 to 80 percent in 31 minutes. We didn’t have the chance to really test its range abilities, which means we have to believe AMG’s words for now. Additionally, the EQC uses a 400-volt electrical architecture and can charge at up to 200 kw.

For those in the market and intrigued by the prospect of owning an EQS, the AMG-variant seems to be the only choice for those looking to keep some of that driver involvement while combining the high level luxury nature with outright performance. This AMG EQS shines in this department, especially in comparison to the soleless 450 and 580-models, which are more comfortable cruisers rather than high-performance machines. The AMG-variant is in many ways an achievement for the engineers in Affalterbach, who showcase that they can do more than just produce V8 power-saloons/wagons and brilliant hot-hatches with drift modes. My applause goes to them. Job well done!

[Images provided by Mercedes-Benz for media use]

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The new BMW iX therefore breaks loose from the confinements set by the old models and tries to enter a new age with a completely different and bold take. It’s different and it knows that, owns up to it and tries to offer more in a simplified package. The iX then shouldn’t be judged by the old books because this design didn’t happen by accident. It was a conscious decision, like just about any other thing about this car. Nothing was left to chance. 

A Unique And Bold Exterior Design

The exterior design is, without a doubt, the most controversial bit. The front-end is dominated by a huge set of grilles that are not only there to shock, but also with a practical reason. Behind them you’ll find a lot of technology meant to keep you safe and improve the driving assistance systems. The grille houses a large radar, along with other sensors and a self-cleaning camera. Furthermore, BMW is aware of the kidney’s sheer size and decided to cover it in a self-healing polymer cover. If the grille gets chips from the road in it, all you have to do is heat it up and it’s going to look brand new.

There is also a new headlight design without the trademark corona lights. Sure, they still have Daytime Running Light, but they have a completely new shape and they do a little dance when the car ‘wakes up’. But apart from those two elements, the front-end is as simple as it gets. The lines are clear cut and everything is as non-complicated as possible with a simple goal in mind: to make this car as aerodynamic as possible. The same approach can be seen on the sides.

As soon as you take a step back, you notice that the car’s shape is monolithic, as if it was made of a single block. The door handles are now flush with the doors, the side mirrors have been sculpted in the wind tunnel and there are few to none character lines on the doors. The same goes for the rear-end, where everything was simplified and the taillights are now just two slim, horizontal bars.

Minimalistic Cabin

For old-school fans of BMW, the shock gets even bigger the moment you step inside. That’s because there’s nothing familiar welcoming you inside the iX. Everything is new and, staying true to its trailblazer name, lots of the iX’s design features will be adopted by future BMW models: From the simplified layout of the dashboard, to the screens, hexagonal steering wheel and sustainable materials.

It may take you a while to get used to the new layout but one thing’s for certain: the interior of the iX feels like it’s coming from a completely different era. Minimalism has been adopted on a wide scale, like the trend in the industry seems to dictate, and a lot of buttons have disappeared in the process.

All that’s left in that regard is to be found in the area around the rotary iDrive controller, now made entirely of crystal. The buttons themselves are touch-sensitive and use a sensor hidden beneath the wood veneer. Crystal is also used for other buttons on the center console, like the volume knob, start button and drive selector. The same goes for the buttons that allow you to adjust your seat which have been moved on the door panel and look incredibly luxurious.

In a nutshell, the entire cabin of the BMW iX has a luxurious feel, with high-quality finishes and materials. Even though the upholstery in this car wasn’t leather (that’s still an option) I couldn’t say the textile material didn’t feel premium enough. One wonder I do have though is how this material, that feels a lot like Alcantara, will hold up over the years. That remains to be seen.

The screens appear to float when viewed from the driver’s perspective. The passenger gets to see the feet holding them up, but from behind the wheel you could be fooled. It’s a similar solution to the one introduced on the i3. The two separate screens are melted together in a single, curved display, that’s one of the biggest you can find in a production car today. And yet, they don’t feel overwhelming.

Both the instrument cluster and the iDrive screen feature high resolution, smooth animations and completely new designs. The BMW iX comes with three driving modes, two being fixed in terms of design while the third, Personal, allows you to configure just about anything about the screens and interior lighting. The instrument cluster has three different layouts to display various information. The one I found most useful displayed the range based on your current driving style. That window also showed you the maximum and minimum range you could expect, adjusted according to your state of charge.

Right in front of the instrument cluster, you’ll find the new hexagonal steering wheel, a bold and yet very interesting choice from BMW. I found it to be the perfect size but I wasn’t too happy with the fact that there’s no on-board computer button on the left-hand stalk. Its role has been replaced by a button positioned on the right-hand spoke of the steering wheel. Once again, a perfectly good button was eliminated in the quest to adhere to the minimalist trend we’re all witnessing today.

And there are other areas where the ergonomics are suffering because of it. Remember those fancy crystal seat-adjusting buttons? Well, whereas in the past you could adjust just about any direction on your seat using those buttons alone, now you have to press a shortcut on the door panel in order to access a ‘seat menu’ in the iDrive screen and from there you can make the necessary adjustments. You need to take several extra steps in order to adjust a simple thing like lumbar support, for example. And don’t get me even started on the climate control menu. What used to be a very simple and intuitive panel is now an overly complicated menu shown on the center display. Luckily, the car has a very efficient “Auto Mode” that does everything for you so you’ll only have to adjust the temperature.

Furthermore, you could use the new Intelligent Personal Assistant that’s better than ever. Since most buttons simply vanished and since the AI system understands more free speech, I ended up using it a lot more.

Lots Of Cabin Space

There’s also ample room inside the iX, thanks to the unique platform it rides on. At its core, the BMW iX uses a bespoke architecture. There’s no transmission tunnel which frees up a lot of room in the back where you could easily sit three adults. If the exterior dimensions of the car would make it comparable to the X5, there’s a lot more room inside. The boot is a bit problematic though, as it only has 500 liters of space, 160 less than on the main rival this car has, the Audi E-tron.

One final complaint would be the front seats. For a flagship, they are nowhere near as configurable and adjustable as they should be. There’s no extendable thigh support for those with longer legs, no adjustable headrest and you have a plastic opening in them that houses a speaker. Sure, it helps with the quality of the sound provided by Bowers & WiIlkins but, you might want to make sure you have a tall enough passenger. That’s because, under hard acceleration, they might be taken by surprise and hit their head rather hard on that piece of plastic, something that was oddly overlooked.

Insane Performance

Those hard accelerations are not hard to come by. As a matter of fact, the throttle response of this car can be quite brutal in Sport mode. Just the slightest tap of the go faster pedal simply shoots the BMW iX xDrive50 forward with an agility worthy of the electric drivetrain hiding under the sheet metal.

Speaking of which, the BMW iX in xDrive50 guise is currently the most powerful iX you can buy, until the iX M60 comes out. It uses two electric motors, one for each axle, that can deliver a total of 523 PS and 765 Nm of torque. Those numbers are very close to what the old 4.4-liter V8 twin-turbo mill used to offer on M50i models. That makes understanding the naming convention a lot easier, right?

According to BMW, the all-wheel drive character of the car and the power it has should allow it to do 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds, but the seam of my pants was telling me that was a conservative estimate. It’s a good enough result for a car that tips the scale at exactly 2.5 tons. Some 600 kilos of that weight went into the 105 kWh battery hidden in the floor. According to BMW, that battery should allow you to cover up to 600 kilometers with a single charge. That wasn’t exactly what I got.

Around town, the average energy consumption recorded by the car was 29 kWh/100 km, adding up to a real-life range of about 350 kilometers with a full charge. Outside the city limits, on a series of B-roads, with spirited driving, that figure dropped to 24 kWh/100 km while on the highway it went back up to 28 kWh/100 km, for a range of 450 km and 375 km respectively. Mind you , the exterior temperatures were rather low, close to 10 degrees Celsius most of the time, while the car was running on winter tires. Consider these as worst case scenario results.

But if there’s one thing the iX does great, that’s definitely the refinement and comfort offered by the suspension. Air suspension, that is, as our tester was fitted with this optional feature. And it’s worth all the pennies as it managed to simply iron out every single crease in the road, while not making a peep. The ride quality in the iX is simply stunning, the most comfortable I’ve ever experienced in an electric vehicle. 

There’s also virtually no road noise either. You see, that streamlined body of the iX is not only good for making it more aerodynamic but also for making sure the road noise is kept in check. It works brilliantly, even at highway speeds, the atmosphere inside the BMW iX remaining serene. Couple that with the brilliant 4D sound system from B&W and you get a true lounge feeling while riding in this car.

Nearly Perfect

However, at the end of the day, the BMW iX is still a Bavarian product. Therefore, it has to offer a good driving experience too, not just a comfy one. Unfortunately, the weight of the car can be felt throughout its movements whenever you’re driving it in a sportier manner. After all, we’re talking about the heaviest car BMW is making today and even though the weight is admirably kept in check, there’s still some roll and lean into the corners. That’s inevitable at the end of the day. 

Nevertheless, I wouldn’t say the iX is a disappointment in this regard. Far from it, but you do have to really push it in order to squeeze the most out of this chassis. The electric SUV oversteers and can behave like a BMW with a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, but in order to get there, you really have to get over the initial lean in a tight corner. Most people will be scared midway through the transition, but, if you push it just a little bit harder, you can really squeeze all the iX has to offer. Overall, the iX remains composed and predictable in all situations, including when it is grabbed by the scruff of its neck and thrown around.

That means this is one of the most capable electric SUVs I’ve tested over the last few years. Sure, it does have some issues but they are just minor niggles in the grand scheme of things. The BMW iX  compensates with the most refined ride I have experienced in an electric model, a luxurious cabin, incredibly quiet atmosphere, lots of technology and, when needed, a rush of adrenaline thanks to your right foot. 

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The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 will arrive in March 2022 in the United States and a few months before that in Europe. In the U.S. the car is priced at $82,300 plus $995 Destination Charge. A comparable Tesla Model X starts at $94,690 for the Long Range model. The BMW iX is also comparable in price with the 2021 BMW X5 M50i which rings the register at $82,800 plus $995.

The BMW iX xDrive50 is going to be the headline variant, packing a new 105.2 kWh net battery pack and dual motors to make a very competitive 523 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque. BMW claims the iX xDrive50 can nail 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.6 seconds, while achieving a range of 630 km (over 300 miles, per EPA).

The BMW iX is the brand’s most impressive electric vehicle. It’s the first BMW EV to be built on a bespoke electric platform since the i3, it’s the most powerful EV it’s ever made, it has more range than any other electric BMW ever, and it’s the most luxurious one, too. Being a big, premium SUV, it’s also going to be quite popular among high-end customers. Some enthusiasts might complain about its looks but if the X7 can sell in big numbers, the iX will too.

Let’s take a look at the video review!

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They didn’t just include the Mustang name in the whole grand scheme of things, they kinda made it a brand of its own. Look at the Mustang Mach-E from the outside and you’ll notice that there’s not one single blue oval on it. Is Ford trying to hide its own logo from the car? No, not really. They are just trying to emphasize the fact that this car is less Ford and more Mustang, if that makes any sense.

In all fairness, the Mustang became a brand over more than 50 years since the original Pony car was unveiled. It managed to fascinate enough people that it is now one of the most widely known names in the industry. Ask Ford about that and they’ll say other reasons were behind their choice. According to the official press release, the Mustang name was chosen because the new EV SUV shares some of the characteristics that made the pony car a success: it’s bold, fun to drive and good to look at among other things. Is it though?

A Mustang-Like Design

Some of you might remember the 2011 Ford Focus electric model that was so bad it was only sold in limited numbers. So nobody really remembers it. It did exist though and showed Ford that they have to change their strategy if they want to make a good EV. And they did. They created a new platform that is now being used for electric vehicles alone. This Global Electrified Platform 1 is actually based on the same underpinnings they used for the likes of the Ford Focus, Ford Kuga and other such models. It is, however, heavily reworked, to adapt to the needs of an EV and it will be used on more than just the Mach-E later down the line.

Even so, the exterior design is not necessarily influenced by it. However, Ford had to keep the name of the final product in mind and they decided to give the SUV a Mustang-like design. Up front you’ll notice a long hood and a huge, blocked-out grille dominating the front fascia, with a digital Mustang embedded in it. I’m saying ‘digital Mustang’ because the traditional logo we all know now has horizontal lines through it, to symbolize the ‘digital era’ we live in.

Even though it doesn’t have the traditional layout you’d find on a regular Mustang, you can’t help but tell that this car is part of the same family. Kudos to the designers who managed to pen an aerodynamic body with a very familiar feel to it. Maybe the headlamps have something to do with it too, as they do resemble to some extent the ones on the fastback coupe models.

From the sides, the massive body holds tall windows to make sure the occupants never suffer from claustrophobia. The tall body also means you’ll have to get the biggest wheels to fill the wells. 18” wheels are the bare minimum, but we’d recommend going even bigger if you can afford it.

It is also from the side that you’ll notice another couple of interesting tricks. For example, the roofline reminds us of the fastback lines of the Coupe Mustang. However, the roof sits in between the pillars, a bit taller, but dressed in black, to trick the eye. And it works. From the sides, you’d think this is a Coupe SUV but in reality, there’s ample room in the back for even taller adults.

Round the back, the tri-bar taillights tell you only one thing: this may be an SUV, but it has Mustang written all over it. Overall, the entire design team deserves a raise for how this car turned out. As for the whole ‘SUV’ definition, some might have a point to make here. The tall body of the car definitely works in the favor of that definition. The high riding position also makes you feel like you’re in command all the time, with a good view of the road ahead. However, with only 14 centimeters of ground clearance, this can hardly qualify as an SUV. It’s more of a crossover overall.

Tons Of Tech Inside The Cabin

From the inside though, you couldn’t really tell. As I mentioned before, the driver’s seat is positioned rather high, mainly because of the hefty batteries hidden in the floor. But there’s more to it than just that. The moment you get in, you’ll notice a few interesting design choices. While Ford will adamantly deny it, the infotainment screen definitely seems to have been ‘inspired’ by the rivals over at Tesla. Regardless of the model, you get the same, portrait-style 15.5-inch screen right in the middle of the dash.

It’s a good-looking screen, with a lot of technology in it, a high resolution and fast response time. It hosts the new SYNC 4 system and has a lot of tricks up its sleeve but it won’t be for everyone. According to Ford, the physical volume button you’ll see at the bottom of the screen was a must have for the customers that tested the car before being approved and I have to say I found it very comforting to use.

The screen is basically split in two: the upper half is what you would normally find on an infotainment screen while the bottom works more like a HVAC/shortcut/multimedia control section. It’s well thought out for the most part, but it does have a large number of submenus, since all physical buttons have been eliminated.

Right in front of the driver, behind the steering wheel, there’s an additional 10” screen. This one is meant to be an instrument cluster, showing you the speed, battery state of charge and some other features of the car while on the road. It may be slim but it is very useful.

Ergonomically, everything is well set up and within reach. The seats are comfortable, the materials used inside of good quality and I’d even dare say above the segment’s average. There are smart choices everywhere, and even though you might not be treated to the best wood and leather trims, there’s a good mix of different materials inside. From the Bang & Olufsen sound system that looks like a soundbar was embedded into the dashboard, to the panoramic roof or the leatherette upholstery, it’s all nice and comfy inside.

There’s ample room in all seats, including in the back, more so than in the VW iD.4 for example and you get a better tactile sensation on the door panels, with better plastic being used in the Ford overall.

On the technology side of things, Ford didn’t play around. The car is delivered with only one physical key. That’s a deliberate choice, as the blue oval company wants you to actually use its new app for the car (FordPass Connect) that allows you to turn your smartphone into a key. And that’s not all, as you can control a number of the car’s features, from a distance, via your phone.

But what if you run out of battery? The driver’s door has an old-school numpad on it and you can set an access code that will unlock the car. Furthermore, once inside, you can turn the car on by using a PIN that you can set for the infotainment system. This way, you don’t even need your phone or your key to drive this car.  And that’s all on top of the usual tech bits like remove software updates, a vast amount of driving aides and so on.

Two Battery Packs

Since this is an electric car, every owner will focus on the performance and especially the range the Mach-E can offer. To that end, the new all-electric car has a number of choices for your needs. There are two batteries available: a 68 kWh one and an 88-kWh alternative. Those are the usable amounts of power you can store, the total energy capacity being 78 and 99 kWh, respectively. They can be coupled with either one or two electric motors, if you want all wheel drive.

The cheapest you can get is the 68 kWh battery combined with a 269 HP electric motor on the rear axle. There’s also a 294 HP alternative with RWD and a 351 HP model with all wheel drive. The latter only comes with the 88 kWh battery and was the one we tested. If you think that’s not enough, there’s also a Mach-E GT choice out there, with 487 HP.

Our tester had a range claim, according to the WLTP testing procedure of 540 kilometers (335 miles), which is pretty darn impressive. Does the Mach-E actually reach those values? Yes. And it can do even better. During my time with the car, I managed an average energy consumption of 17 kWh/100 km covered, adding up to a range of 517 kilometers (321 miles) around town. That was without cutting any of the creature comforts I needed and it was done in 40-degree Celsius weather.

Outside the city limits, that average dropped to 16 kWh/100 km on B-roads and went back up to 18 kWh/100 km on the highway. That’s between 550 and 488 km (341 and 303 miles) with a single charge. Those are some of the best results I’ve seen in an electric car. Charging the battery can be achieved using a charger of up to 150 kW, meaning you should get up to 80% charge in 43 minutes.

But how does the car handle during all these miles? In one word: better than expected. The two electric motors are set up in such a way that the rear one does most of the work. Therefore, when you drive the car, it mostly feels like a rear-wheel drive model. Start throwing it into a series of twisty bits and it pushes the rear end outwards with ease, making you smile in the process. The front end will chip in from time to time, especially when launching it from standstill, as the Mach-E in this AWD, 351 HP configuration will do 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds. Not bad for a 2-ton car.

There is a bit of body roll because of that weight and it does show at higher speeds. Luckily, most of it is located in between the axles and right beneath you. According to Ford, the Mach-E’s center of gravity is just half an inch higher than in a ‘regular’ Mustang which is, of course, good news for enthusiastic drivers.

And the Mach-E is actually one of the lighter cars in this segment. Even so, that weight works against it if you want to drive in a sporty fashion. The rather narrow tires start to squeal quite a lot at higher speeds in corners and the front-end grip is not exactly phenomenal. Therefore, you can understeer if you’re not careful.

Other than being thoughtful with your right foot, the Mustang Mach-E is actually quite enjoyable to drive. You get three driving modes, which have different names, depending on where you live. The sportiest one, Untamed, increases the amount of fake noise you get through the speakers, simulating a sort of digital V8, if you will. It’s quite weird, to be frank, because the frequency of the burble definitely reminded me of a V8 but it was all synthetic at the same time.

Straight line acceleration and pedal response are just as you would expect from an EV: immediate. If you press the go-faster pedal to the metal, no matter in which driving mode you’re in, the Mustang Mach-E jumps ahead so you might want to make sure you have enough room to go.

The ride is a bit less refined than ideal. Over smaller bumps the dampers feel a bit overwhelmed by the weight of the car and there are noticeable sounds making their way into the cabin. The whole suspension seems like it’s working overtime to keep you comfy and yet it falls short every time. If you’re driving over poor roads, it becomes even more noticeable how much the McPherson setup up front is struggling to keep everything down to a hum.

Luckily, at higher speeds, things get a bit better. The overall sound isolation of the car is good, maybe a bit better than the class average and the suspension seems to handle things a bit better too.

Sportier Than Its Main Rivals

Leaving the name aside, the Mach-E doesn’t drive as good as the car it is sharing its name with, but you’d be a fool to expect that considering how different they are. Nevertheless, the electric SUV does drive like the electric Mustang it is claiming to be, staying true to its origins. It’s definitely sportier than the VW iD.4 or the Skoda Enyaq, two of its main rivals. Chip in the spacious cabin and one of the best autonomies out there and you get a very good overall mix that’s already a best-seller in a number of markets.

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The official market introduction of the Mercedes EQS is therefore a pinnacle moment in the future of the German car brand, who released the EQC a few years ago. You might remember that this vehicle proved to be a less of a worthy competitor in a tough segment , so Mercedes-Benz have to make up for its losses and show what it’s really capable of with the newly released EQS.

The EQS is the first all-electric luxury saloon from the Mercedes-EQ brand, a technological showcase and also the first model to be based on the modular architecture for luxury and executive-class electric vehicles. Three more body shapes will be released the coming years on this platform, which have been developed over the last five years. There will be an EQS SUV, EQE and EQE SUV. Maybach and AMG variants will also be released complementing the lineup of luxury Mercedes EVs.

Two models available at launch

There are only two variants are available at launch; the base single motor EQS 450+ and the dual motor EQS 580 4Matic. Each flavor will be available with a range of options, features and a 107,8 kWh 400 V battery pack between both axles. The total range available is 780 km (on the EQS 450+). Charging is possible up to 200 kW via a fast charger. The charging curve looks similar to other models in the luxury space and allows for a 11% to 80% charge in 30 minutes. 300 km of range is added in 15 minutes depending on the amount of charge left inside the battery.

The extensive electric range of the EQS offers drivers the option to drive from Stuttgart to Monaco with only two 15-minute charging stops. Those are stops you would normally take when you want to stretch your legs or get a bite to eat. Nothing out of the ordinary for those stepping from a “normal” car into the EQS. The extensive range really comes as a handy add-on to the experience of the vehicle.

To improve its efficiency, the Germans made sure that the EQS (only with AMG line and low-drag wheels) has a drag coefficient of only 0.2, which lets the EV S-line model glide through the air with as little resistance as possible. The arching roofline helps as well. The attractive looking vehicle offers a few unique details such as the absence of a front trunk (only to be opened during servicing), the funky little filler cap for the washer fluid next to the front left door and the intriguing front grille with dozens of tiny little star shapes. The overall design offers the grandeur of an S-Class combined with the funky nature of an EV. I’m not sure this combination is what clients in this space are looking for, but time will tell how much of a success the EQS is over the new S-Class, which has had its own divisive design nature when it was launched.

Comfort doors

Another feature to touch on are the automatic comfort doors, which weren’t fully finished on my test car and often proved to be more of an annoyance than a nice feature that everyone should opt for. If I would have the option, I would leave them off the EQS, since they didn’t really offer much of an enhanced experience over what the EQS already brings to the table. These kind of doors belong to a level of luxury where only Bentley and Rolls-Royce are situated in my opinion. The EQS isn’t at that level.

Still, the EQS is the first official luxury EV in the market space. There has not been a vehicle like this so far and even though the Tesla Model X Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo S are able to play in the same pool when it comes to their price tags, they are totally different cars. Some of which you will see when you enter the cabin. The cargo space in the trunk is huge and even slightly bigger than a S-Class, and there is plenty of room in the folding back seats.

The interior is impressive with materials, fit and finish seen in the S-Class and even in specific Maybach models. The soft leather, nice plastics, metal and wood finishes are a lust for the eyes and your fingertips. The only niggles to be found are the base of the seats, which are too short for people with long legs. Basically the seats are a little short on lateral support and the door handle is a notch too flimsy for my liking.

In comparison to the Porsche, you are riding in a chariot instead of a sports car and Tesla isn’t in the same league with its cheap plastics, mediocre build quality and low feature specification.

Hyperscreen

The pride of the cabin is the optional glass hyperscreen which is 56 inch, and includes three separate displays. It allows you to communicate with the vehicle via touch and voice commands starting with the familiar “Hey Mercedes” prompt. There is also a head-up display with augmented-reality navigation instructions. There is no major controller anywhere on the dashboard, although you can go through features via the touchpads on the steering wheel.

The only buttons on the center tunnel are the On/Off, the audio volume, the dynamic driving mode, the EQ modes, the parking distance control and the hazard lights. There is an abundance of storage space, 8 usb-c port and 3 wireless charging pads

The MBUX menu was altered to accommodate the new displays. In front of the driver you will notice the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which offers a wide array of functionality which we have seen before. The 17.7-inch OLED display in the middle serves as the primary infotainment system and now shows a new series of EQ features with lots of details and a zero layer that overlays the main menu and many different controls on top a full-screen map display. If you prefer, you can return to the old-fashioned look via the one of the hundreds of settings available to you as a driver.

Three of the four passengers will have the option to control their multimedia via a dedicated screen in front of them. The passenger in the front will use the third touch display, while two rear passengers sitting at either side of the car will use the optional rear multimedia attached to the front seats. The connectivity allows each person to connect their own Bluetooth headsets, enjoy their own multimedia, set navigation destinations and determine their own set up with the four-zone climate control.

The driver can assist each passenger, and will be able to use the navigation preset as the preferred destination for the drive. This means no more fighting over a radio channel! Another clever feature is a small camera which will pause any movie played on the display if the driver takes his or her eyes of the road.

The newly adapted MBUX offers a range of nifty features and has been improved when it comes to its voice control system. The system however requires a decent learning curve finding your way through the extended options, features and buttons. Even the Mercedes-Benz engineers on-site had a hard time finding the right settings during my private demo, needing that one or two seconds more to find the right option or onscreen button.

There are more intuitive systems available in the market, which are less bloated with features. All in all, the less is more approach wasn’t the first approach with MBUX and it is noticeable, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get hang of it. It will just take a bit longer than some of its competitors. However, I think we should all be happy you can still control your lights and driving mode via stalks connected to the steering column and that the horn is placed in the center underneath the Mercedes star on a round-shaped steering wheel.

Driving the EQS

With the exterior and interior review behind us, it is time to touch on the elephant in the room: the ability of the EQS of being an EV and its pure driving characteristics. Those start with the seating position, which feels surprisingly different the moment you leave its parking position and get on the move. My first drive was inside the EQS 580 4Matic with its dual motors, 524 hp and 855 Nm. This allows the sedan to reach 100 kmh in 4,3 seconds and up to a top speed of 209 kmh.

First of all, your position behind the wheel feels like as if you are placed in a higher SUV-like seating position, but this is an optical illusion due to the high dashboard, sloping front and the fact that you don’t see the bonnet from behind the wheel. It is also remarkably quiet inside the EQS, like as if you are inside a closed sound camber with no tire noise, engine vibrations or other sounds gas-powered cars would usually emit.

The first few meters require you to adjust yourself and focus on the inputs from the steering, the throttle and the brakes which are also not what I expected. Don’t get me wrong the EQS is nippy like any other EV due to it abundance of immediate torque, but the way you are connected to the car, the road and your environment is simply emotionless.

The drama-free experience behind the wheel is an immensely polished experience where you as a driver are constantly remembered of what you miss so dearly. The twisty roads in the Swiss Alps emphasized where it goes wrong for the EQS.

Let’s start with the steering which felt vague and not communicative on its initial turn-in. As soon as you are mid-corner, the magnificent 10-degrees rear axle steering will give you confidence, but before that you have a hard time placing the car correctly into a turn.

The braking is a story on its own. The initial confident-inspiring bite is absent due to the way the Germans introduced the option to select your preferred level of brake generation via the steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. The modulation of the brakes in any of these modes proved to be annoying due to the weird mix between friction onto the brake pads and the recuperation of the motors. The best choice is leaving the recuperation completely disengaged, but even then the brake pedal travel is too long to really give you immediate confidence.

The final point to note is the four-corner adaptive air suspension, which felt smooth and in the right environment on highways and smooth roads. The moment the suspension hits undulated swooping roads filled with potholes, it becomes jerky and wobbly due to the heavy weight – around 2500 kgs. Add this to the seats which lack lateral support and before you know it you are being thrown around the cabin in a way which is totally out of fashion to the EQS’ exclusive nature.

I can absolutely say that the EQS is far from a driver’s car. In many ways it is the total opposite of what a Porsche Taycan or Audi E-tron GT are able to convey to its drivers as an EV. Of course, none of the current EQS variants are meant for maximum-attack canyon driving. AMG will hopefully take care of this and bring back a bit more feel and emotion into the cabin. Next time I would personally position myself in one of the passenger seats inside the EQS rather than behind the wheel, especially if you enjoy and require some immediate feedback from the car.

You really need to recalibrate yourself when you step behind the wheel of the new EQS. Mercedes-EQ’s first electric sedan excels in the way it is able to bring you from A to B to C to D in sheer comfort and luxury. But as a package, it is not as good as the new S-Class for being an executive car in all of its true essence. Still the German engineers did a wonderful job creating the best luxury EV on the market today. This one surpasses the levels of luxury offered by any current EV combined with an extensive battery range and a few nifty features making the experience more enjoyable on a daily basis. If you are after such a package, then the EQS is your absolute go-to option.

The best metaphor for the EQS could well be the place where Mercedes invited me for my first drive: Switzerland. A lovely serene place known for its lovely views, breathtaking sceneries and a polished daily living experience, but also one which doesn’t share much passion and emotion and often requires you to recalibrate your senses to a much more aloof, slower and reserved pace.

[Photos: Mercedes-Benz]

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