Flagship high-riding Benz EV bundles EQS sedan tech into bigger and more practical package
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV has been unveiled tonight, debuting with the same high level of innovation, luxury and sheer opulence as the electric EQS sedan but in a high-riding five-door body style that seats up to seven occupants.
Confirmed for an Australian launch in the first half of next year, the EQS SUV will be one of the most expensive tri-star-badged products to be offered Down Under, however local pricing and other market-specific details for the all-new EV won’t be released until closer to its arrival.
Measuring 5125mm long, 1959mm wide and 1718mm tall, the EQS SUV shares its 3210mm wheelbase with the sedan, as well as its battery-electric powertrains – all of which are based around a 107.8kWh lithium-ion battery.
In the single-motor/rear-wheel drive EQS 450+, this translates to a driving range of up to 660km on a single charge and maximum outputs of 265kW/568Nm.
The all-paw EQS 450 4MATIC adds another electric motor to the equation (on the front axle), and while it doesn’t add any more power, it does bump the torque figure up to 800Nm.
The flipside of this extra shove and increased mechanical drag is a slightly reduced range of 613km.
At the top of the range, the dual-motor EQS 580 4MATIC develops 400kW/858Nm and has an identical range to its lesser all-paw stablemate.
An AMG-fettled 53 4MATIC+ variant is likely to follow the launch line-up, packing the same 484kW/950Nm punch as the sedan version.
Speaking of the EQS sedan, the SUV boasts the same 200kW charging capabilities and 11kW on-board charger as the four-door.
When hooked up to a DC fast-charger, Mercedes says its flagship electric SUV can be charged from 10-80 per cent in 31 minutes, with up to 250km of range being added after just 15 minutes.
As you might expect from a large SUV, all-wheel drive versions of the EQS SUV will come as standard with a new ‘Off-road’ driving mode to help ensure it’s “capable of tackling light terrain with ease”. The familiar Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual modes are all present.
Smoothing out the ride both on- and off-road is the latest version of Mercedes’ height-adjustable AIRMATIC adaptive air suspension, while an active rear-axle steering system shortens the effective wheelbase to make the big SUV more manoeuvrable and dynamic.
Being a member of the S-Class family, even the most basic EQS SUV has more standard equipment than it’s possible to poke a stick at.
However, at this stage it seems the 141cm MBUX Hyperscreen isn’t included, but is still available as ‘special equipment’.
As a result, headline creature comforts include acres of leather, open-pore wood and aluminium trim, second-gen MBUX infotainment system, two 11.6-inch rear screens, Dolby Atmos immersive sound system, electric-adjust second-row seats, a third row option (taking seating capacity to seven), satellite navigation with ‘electric intelligence’, pre-entry climate control and pretty much every active safety system/driver aid imaginable.
“The EQS SUV is the third vehicle on our new all-electric platform,” said Mercedes-Benz chief Ola Källenius.
“It has everything our customers love about the EQS – and combines this with the strengths and versatility of an SUV that can seat up to seven people.
“With the EQS SUV, we are continuing to consistently implement the strategy of making our vehicles more sustainable and digital – with the goal of building the most desirable electric cars in the world.”
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Keyword: Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV revealed