Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV And BMW i7 To Make Global Debuts In April

Both luxury EVs will offer more than 600km of range and boast of impressive performance figures

• Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV will be based heavily on the EQS sedan with similar powertrains.

• It will get a similar interior with the curved MBUX Hyperscreen, but gets added optional third-row seating.

• The i7 will be the first luxury offering of its size from BMW and will debut new tech.

• BMW states the i7 will be the most powerful 7 Series model.

• Both luxury EVs could make their way to India by 2024.

The luxury EV space is set to expand soon with all-electric interpretations of two German stalwarts: Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The Mercedes EQS SUV is set to be unveiled on April 19 with the BMW i7 to debut on April 20.

The EQS SUV is the electric SUV version of the EQS luxury sedan that is already on sale in select markets. It is the third Mercedes model to be based on that dedicated EV platform and is expected to get the same battery pack. While the most efficient powertrain setup with the aerodynamically fluid form of the EQS claims a range of upto 770km, the EQS could claim a range of around 600km. It will get the same MBUX Hyperscreen dashboard with three large displays under one large piece of curved glass. The EQS will also get the option of a third row of seats combined with the electrically-adjustable second row.

Mercedes has been extensively testing the EQS SUV under camouflage and it now looks ready for production. It seems to get the same front-end styling as the EQS sedan with the same taillight design as well. The overall shape of the luxury electric SUV still looks sleek and aerodynamic and not bulky or upright.

Around the same time, BMW has teased details of the upcoming i7 electric sedan. The carmaker stated that it will be the most powerful 7 Series with a range of up to 610km. Its front end styling continues to feature the current BMW design language with a large, square-shaped illuminated grille. The i7 will be BMW’s fourth all-electric offering and the second sedan following the sportier i4.

Other details specified for the upcoming i7 include a newly developed panoramic glass roof and the BMW Theatre screen for rear passenger entertainment. The latter feature uses a 31-inch ultra-wide panoramic display with 8K streaming resolution that moves out from the roof line, offering a true cinematic experience for the rear passengers.

Both these upcoming luxury electric models are expected to begin production later this year. While the Mercedes EQS luxury sedan is slated to launch in India towards the end of 2022, the EQS SUV could arrive here by early 2024. Meanwhile, BMW recently introduced the iX electric SUV to India, and the i7 could be launched here by late 2023.