Mercedes has taken the camouflage off its EQS SUV, the electric alternative to the firm's petrol-powered GLS and the SUV sibling of the company's long-range electric EQS saloon.
The new EQS SUV sits on the same Electric Vehicle Architecture as the saloon and, as such, uses the same massive 107.8kWh battery pack from launch as well as sharing the same 3,210mm wheelbase - 75mm longer than the GLS - making the EQS an optional seven-seater.
Smooth shape
From the outside, the EQS employs the same design language as other Mercedes EQ electric models with the same smooth, flowing surfaces and absence of sharp edges all in the aid of aerodynamic efficiency. Visually, the blanked-off grille and LED headlights form one unit replete with a connecting light bar across the front. Unlike the EQS and EQE models, the doors aren't frameless units but do feature similar flush handles. At the rear, there's another light bar, this time spanning the width of the vehicle and wrapping around to the sides. The EQS's aerodynamics, including its completely flat under-tray, all contribute to the low overall energy consumption of between 23 and 18.6kWh/100km.
660km range
From launch, the EQS SUV will be available with a similar powertrain line-up to the saloon. Opening the range, the 450+ makes the most of that 107.8kWh battery with a single motor sending 360hp to the rear wheels and providing a quoted range of up to 660km between charges. Next in line is the 450 4MATIC, which is, as the name suggests, an all-wheel drive dual-motor version of the 450+ which, because of the extra power required to run the two motors suffers a consequently shorter range of 612km. At the top rung of the EQS SUV ladder, the 543hp 580+ 4MATIC ekes the most power out of its battery and twin motors with a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds and a range of 612km. All versions feature 200kW DC rapid charging capability meaning top-ups from 10-80 per cent take around 31 minutes.
Like the saloon, the EQS SUV gets a similar AirMatic air suspension set-up with adaptive dampers, the settings on which can be toggled depending on the situation. In Offroad mode, the ride height can be raised by up to 25mm at speeds below 80km/h enabling the EQS to tackle slightly trickier terrain than tarmac, while at 110km/h and above Comfort mode hunkers the suspension down by 10mm, Sport mode dropping it by 15mm to reduce drag.
Hyperscreen optional
As standard, the EQS SUV features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch portrait-aspect infotainment screen as standard. Optional, however (and standard on the 580+) is the Mercedes Hyperscreen system which melds the instrument cluster, infotainment screen and another 12.3-inch passenger screen into one dashboard-spanning unit running the latest version of the company's MBUX user interface. If that wasn't enough screen, there's the Entertainment Plus pack too which adds a pair of 11.6-inch monitors to the rear of the front seats for those sitting in the second row.
In seven-seater form, space behind the rear seats comes in at a rather cramped 195 litres. With the rearmost seats folded away though or as a standard five-seater, there's up to 880 litres of luggage space (though more like 645 litres if the rear seats aren't slid forward) equating to the ability, Mercedes says, of carrying "up to 24 crates of mineral water or four golf bags".
Luxurious though the EQS SUV is, those in need of something even plusher will have to wait until 2023 at the earliest for the ultra-luxury Mercedes-Maybach EQS, the concept for which made its debut at last year's Munich motor show. Few concrete details are known just yet, but if the Mercedes-Maybach GLS is anything to go by, potential buyers could be looking at something approaching the €300,000 mark.
Price on arrival
Compared to that, pricing for the standard EQS SUV is likely to seem like small change. Irish prices have yet to be announced for when the EQS SUV arrives here towards the end of the year or in early 2023, but expect something a bit north of the saloon's starting price of €129,965.