Mercedes-Benz Unveils The EQS SUV With Up To 660Km Of Range

It is the SUV iteration of the EQS luxury sedan and will be available with a seven-seat configuration too

• The EQS SUV is Mercedes’ range-topping electric SUV offering.

• It has the same battery and platform as the sedan, but the bulkier shape offers lower range.

• It gets a new off-road driving mode for the all-wheel-drive variants.

• The cabin is feature-packed, plush with luxury comforts and gets the optional MBUX Hyperscreen.

• It could arrive in India as early as late-2023 with the EQS sedan slated to launch by the end of 2022.

Mercedes-Benz has premiered its most luxurious electric SUV offering yet, the EQS SUV. It shares a lot with its sedan sibling but also gets bespoke details and features including the option of a third row of seats for a seven-seat configuration.

The luxury electric SUV is based on the same platform as the EQS sedan so they have the same wheelbase but their overall dimensions do vary:

The biggest difference between the two luxury EV is of course the extra height of the SUV. It

While the EQS looks a lot like the sedan version, it has exterior differences other than the taller body and shorter overhangs. It also gets black cladding along the wheel arches with optional side-steps that are also designed to be aero efficient. In typical Mercedes fashion, there is a distinguishing detail in the car’s LED headlamps. The EQS SUV sports three small triangles under the DRL compared to the three dot-like shapes seen on the EQS sedan.

At the rear, the bumper design varies depending on the variant selected. All trims feature a chunky black bumper wherein some variants get a silver finish for the skid plate design, the sporty ones feature sculpted aerodynamic details along the bottom. The taillamps look similar to those of the sedan, connected by a light bar with an arched bottom edge.

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The overall design of the EQS SUV looks less like an electric twin of the GLS and more like a bigger version of the EQC electric SUV. Its newer design language is perhaps even more aerodynamically efficient with the vents, the character lines, positioning of the rearview mirrors, and the aero-optimised wheel designs. Mercedes has even paid attention to the tyres to offer aero-efficient tread designs. The EQS SUV is offered with wheels ranging from 20 to 22 inches in size, adding to the model’s visual presence as a dynamic EV.

Between the wheels of the EQS SUV lies a 107.8kWh battery pack which is offered with both single motor and dual motor setups. The single motor setup would only drive the rear wheels and is the most energy efficient with a WLTP certified range of up to 660km, over a 100km shy of its sedan sibling. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive variants of the EQS SUV claim a range of up to 613km.

Also read: New Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX Concept Takes Efficiency To A New Level And Promises A Range Of Over 1000km

The rear-wheel drive 450+ variant of the EQS SUV offers 360PS and 568Nm of performance. The same trim with all-wheel-drive has a higher peak torque output of 800Nm. The top-spec 580 4MATIC variant is rated at a peak output of 544PS and 858Nm. The all-wheel-drive variants gain a new “Offroad” driving mode wherein the power distribution between the two axles is optimised for unpaved roads, inclines and rough terrains.

Inside the cabin, the EQS SUV is a lot like the EQS sedan. Its highlight features include the MBUX Hyperscreen that has three large digital displays integrated under one glass panel that spans the entire dashboard: 12.3-inch screens for driver and passenger with a 17.7-inch screen in between for the infotainment system. The clever part of this MBUX system is that it will proactively display only relevant information to the user using AI that also monitors user behaviour patterns to predict and suggest those actions. The features related to the MBUX are ever-growing as it gets over-the-air updates in the future. With the rear seat entertainment package, the EQS SUV gains two 11.6-inch displays on the backrests of the front seats. 

The feature-list of this luxury electric SUV is packed with comforts such as multi-zone climate control with air purification and scents, heated and cooled front seats, optional panoramic glass roof, a premium Burmeister Dolby Atmos sound system, and more. The safety kit is extensive with its numerous driver assists, automated parking assists, 360-degree camera view, and over six airbags. Mechanical comforts on the EQS SUV include air suspension with continuously adjustable damping, rear wheel steering, and up to 25mm of extra ground clearance at slower speeds.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV will make its international market debut in the second half of 2022, likely starting with Europe and the USA. Its only rival at launch will likely be the Tesla Model X. The EQS SUV is expected to be offered in India as well, perhaps as early as late-2023. But first, the EQS sedan will be made available in India by the end of 2022 with locally assembled variants as well.