“This is a very important model for Mercedes in North America,” said the Benz engineer in a deep German accent as he ran his hand over the fender of a camouflaged prototype.
In typical European style, this is something of an understatement. The market on our side of the pond has shifted, permanently, to a strong preference for SUVs, while the clamour from certain corners of the moneyed set for all things electric is growing by the minute.
A machine which mixes the two — a large and capable SUV with a powerful all-electric drivetrain — is going to be a key part of the portfolio at luxury marques like Mercedes-Benz. Set to be called the “EQS SUV” and tapped for a full reveal on April 19, this type of vehicle will be a product (and profit) cornerstone at the three-pointed star brand.
We jumped aboard this prototype on a sunny March afternoon outside its assembly facility in Alabama and took off for a few laps of the company’s development track with Frank Wundrak, engineer in overall charge of EQS testing, behind the wheel.
Mercedes is keeping major details of the EQS SUV under wraps until its full launch next month, but there were a few particulars on which Wundrak chose to elaborate. The SUV will share its wheelbase with the EQS sedan, thanks to deploying the same ‘skateboard’ electric platform. The SUV is wider than the sedan, contributing to more interior elbow room, and it is obviously taller with more ground clearance. The image of a prototype parked next to a knackered yellow GLE test mule, whose stock height is around 69 inches, gives us a clue.
Electric motors live on the front and rear axles, providing all-wheel drive and the ability to leap from rest like a frightened cat when the driver’s right foot pins the accelerator into the lush thick carpet. The subject of power levels and battery size were verboten but it doesn’t take a team of skilled ingenieurinnen to safely wager the EQS SUV option sheet will look much like what’s offered in the EQS sedan.
Wundrak did allow a raised eyebrow when it was suggested this prototype was a top-shelf trim, suggesting it could mirror the EQS 580 with 516 horsepower. The EQS 450+ makes 329 ponies, and you can bet there will eventually be an AMG variant packing the better part of 700 all-electric horses.
Also cribbed from the sedan is the rear-axle steering, permitting the aft wheels to turn up to 10 degrees in the opposite direction of its fronts at low speeds. This has the effect of creating a tremendously tight turning circle and made quick work of an off-road trail as Wundrak threaded the large SUV around trees and other obstacles. Back on pavement, the EQS SUV stayed flat while taking a sharp corner at 45 km/h, and did so while cruising around a banked corner at roughly 65 km/h.
Speaking of off-road, Mercedes knows they need to imbue the EQS SUV with a certain level of dirt road chops, even if most owners will only take their vehicle over those pebbles in the winery parking lot. This prototype showed off its downhill decent control while traversing a gnarly incline, permitting the driver to take their feet off the pedals and focus on driving instead of trying to hold a constant speed (4 mph, in this case) manually. All-electric propulsion is a hoot off-road, thanks to immediate throttle response and the ability to mete out power with scalpel-like precision.
This tester wore passenger-spec Pirelli Scorpions, not all-terrain shoes, while other prototypes in the parking lot were shod with 21-inch Goodyear UltraGrips touting ‘electric-drive technology.’ The sole hiccup was during a transition from flat surface to a steep hill when the EQS SUV lightly scraped its trailer hitch on the hard Alabama rock.
But extreme departure angles aren’t this vehicle’s focus. For that, we look to the interior and its typically sumptuous Mercedes-Benz cabin. At first glance, much is shared with the EQS sedan, including the expansive Hyperscreen, a wide swath of curved display area which sweeps nearly the entire width of the vehicle. There are actually multiple screens below this expanse, including a new 12.3-inch OLED display ahead of the front passenger, giving them their own interactive display and control area. Passengers can watch streaming content from online services or keep tabs on vehicle vitals – including off-road stats like pitch and yaw. Graphics are crisp and sharp.
What happens if the driver chooses to study the passenger screen at speed? Benz has installed a pair of cameras underneath the Hyperscreen, watching the driver’s eye location and monitoring for a lack of attention. If the driver looks away from the road to the general vicinity of the passenger display, the screen goes blank and shows a typically stern German admonishment. However, those cameras aren’t just for acting like a dour school marm; we later learned that one can simply look at the side mirror they wish to adjust – instead of selecting ‘left’ or ‘right’ on a button – and the directional pad will adjust that mirror.
Interior trappings are typical top-shelf Mercedes, with this prototype featuring buttery soft fine leather and genuine wood trim. The distinctive ventilation registers are party pieces themselves, and the beautifully stitched dash flows into a floating-style center console. Essentially, it’s like sitting in an EQS sedan on stilts, which is surely the feel for which the team was aiming. Rear seat entertainment screens are an option, as are a third row of seats. Your author is not fully sold on the practicality of the latter since the space is meant for those short of limb. The cargo area is otherwise cavernous, meaning a two-row configuration might be the better choice unless you’re bent on continually carting around an extra pair of small humans.
And note well: like the EQS sedan, don’t expect a frunk in this EQS SUV. A port for refilling the windshield wash sprouts from the left front fender – just like its four-door brother – strongly suggesting the hood is not meant to be raised by mere mortals. This remains an odd design decision, especially when some other high-buck EVs carve out vast storage spaces in that area.
A very important model for Mercedes? You betcha. And, judging by our initial impressions of space and pace, also a successful one.
Keyword: First Look: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV