Mercedes-Benz EQS

We expected the EQS to be a technical tour de force, but what’s gratifying about this R&D budget-swallowing flagship is it has all the charm of a classic luxury car. We wondered if an electrified limo would somehow be more of an appliance than the V8 and V12 ancestors that it will one day usurp. But it’s not.

The EQS grasps all the advantages an EV promises – smoothness, peace, effortless performance, and clever body packaging – and blends all of the above with everything Mercedes has learned over several decades of building classy plutocrat barges. As a result, it’s a superb vehicle to cover the distance in, to drive, or to be driven, finished nigh-on perfectly, and peppered with attention to detail.

What can puncture the bliss? The Hyperscreen and touch-sensitive steering wheel controls might well put off less dextrous technophobes (perhaps that’s an entirely deliberate move). And if you drive it with the carefree consumption of a regular S-Class, you can knock 80-100 miles off the claimed range.

This isn’t a machine to hyper-mile in – people don’t pay £100,000 for a three-pointed star deluxe then don gloves and a scarf to avoid running the heater. But those aren’t flaws exclusive to the EQS or any EV. And they’re not enough to spoil the experience of one of the complete EVs that (vast amounts of) money can buy. Perhaps the most notable legacy of the EQS is that it proves Mercedes is now taking EVs seriously – and promising a fleet of battery-powered models that’ll mirror its engine-powered range by 2025 – the traditional old guard can tackle the EV start-ups head-on. Bring on the smaller, cheaper EQE. Bring on the e-AMGs. Let battle commence.

Highlights

At last, it's a bespoke electric Mercedes. Until now, there's been a reluctance about EVs from the company that invented the automobile. A sense of 'oh, if we have to.' This is why the EQA, EQB, EQC crossovers, and EQV vans are all battery-stuffed versions of existing Mercedes underpinnings. And as a result, they're heavy and more cramped than a ground-up, clean-sheet EV.

That's what the EQS is: all-new. Not an electrified S-Class, but an S-Class-sized luxury saloon is riding on a new platform big enough to contain a massive 107.8kWh battery in its enormous wheelbase. It's a five-meter lengthy riposte to all the EV newcomers. Mercedes is here for the new era, throwing everything it's got at this flagship.

You can have rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, and up to 484 miles of the claimed range. And that’s merely the tip of not so much a technological iceberg as an entire glacier of cleverness.

We’ve driven the EQS 450+, which begins the range with a single 325bhp rear motor and low-end hot hatch performance: 0-62mph in 6.2sec and 130mph flat out. Above this comes the EQS 580 4Matic: twin motors drop range to 420 miles but slices almost two seconds from the 0-62mph sprint. Later, a 700bhp+ AMG EQS will arrive to duel the Porsche Panamera Turbo S and Tesla Model S Plaid with supercar-embarrassing urgency. Be afraid, tires.

Up to 10 degrees of rear-wheel steering gives the EQS the maneuverability of an A-Class and excellent high-speed stability. It rides on air suspension that can log bumps and share its location with other local Mercs, so colleagues soften their suspension in time to cushion the pothole. In addition, its cabin is isolated with noise-canceling technology.

As you can see from the not-at-all traditional cab-forward shape, it’s the world’s slipperiest production car, with the aerodynamic drag coefficient of a greaseproof paper airplane. Oh, and the doors open and close themselves to save you the effort.

Interior

Once you enter the car, you’re in a world of leather, tasteful unpolished wood, and if you’ve ticked the box for the optional 55-inch ‘Hyperscreen’ panel, one of the most jaw-dropping automotive interfaces ever devised. It’s a pure concept car made real.

A triplet of digital displays behind a single glass vista, it’s the EQS’s single most recognizable feature – and a statement of intent from one of the car’s world’s old guard that it’s not afraid to take on the likes of Tesla when it comes to ambitious minimalist design.

Charging

It’s not the fastest: the EQS can accept rates of up to 200kW, which is slower than Audi’s e-Tron GT, Porsche Taycan, and the Tesla clan can manage. Still, the EQS can replenish from 10 to 80 percent in just half an hour via a 350kW rapid charger or two hours on a relatively common 50kW charging post.

By signing up to MercedesMe Charge, multiple charge providers can be accessed via a single card, so you won’t need to carry a smartphone full of various apps around forever, forgetting your password when in need of a pit stop.

In the 21st Century, a luxury electric automobile is only as relaxing as its charging experience.

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