Flash Drive: 2022 Mercedes EQS

Mercedes Starts at the Top with its EV Makeover

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is an icon—it signals you have arrived at a certain social and economic level. With the new all-electric Mercedes EQS, which is already in San Francisco area Mercedes dealerships alongside the existing gas-powered S-Class, the new message is you arrive when you drive electric.

Mercedes’ intent is for the EQS to replace the S-Class and become the new symbol of Mercedes. I had the opportunity recently to spend two days and several hundred miles behind the wheel of both of the new EQS models (more on those shortly), so I can confidently say that this model has got the chops to make an S-Class driver comfortable and happy. It has understated, but distinctive style, abundant power, overwhelming technology and exudes luxury from every pore. It is the new S-Class!

Finally Responding To Tesla

Stories about why Elon Musk chose Model S as the name of his first electric sedan have circulated since it arrived on the scene a decade ago. It has the size and heft of a Mercedes S-Class and similar pricing, placing it in the same target demographic. Since its arrival the Model S has set the benchmark for full-size luxury electric sedans (and all electric cars)—it’s got its own understated style like Mercedes, “ludicrous” power (at Mercedes you’re encouraged to move up to a coming AMG model for that) and the promise of “Full Self-Driving” technology (Mercedes was a pioneer with adaptive cruise control, which is a rough approximation of what you get in a Tesla in spite of the name). What the Model S has always lacked—something Mercedes executives emphasized in their introduction of the EQS to automotive media—is a full expression of luxury.

The cabin of the EQS surrounds you with the look and feel of classic luxury. Fabrics are soft to the touch, plastics are limited, but high-quality, and metal and lighted accents provide defined edges to the interior space. The highlight of the interior (standard on the 580 4Matic and optional on the 450+) is the Hyperscreen—53 inches of glistening curved glass that is actually three separate screens. You could spend hours delving into the many pieces of technology and information contained on the configurable screens.   

The contrast with Tesla is palpable. Tesla’s version of luxury is much more minimalist. Like the Tesla, Mercedes’ new sedan offers surprising spaciousness for the driver and passenger. The EQS designers and engineers seem to have maximized the available space in both front and rear seats. As well, the carpeted trunk is spacious and easily accessible.

Two Flavors of Silent Luxury

The EQS comes in two flavors, with similar numeric designations to the gas models, but with different meanings.

The “entry-level” (a misnomer for this class of vehicle) 450+ has a single 245 kilowatt (kW) electric motor driving the rear wheels. It delivers 329 horsepower and 419 foot-pounds of torque, more than enough to propel the 5,600-pound vehicle up to freeway speeds quickly. Its lithium-ion battery pack will give it 350 miles of range. One of the most interesting features of the 450+ is its starting price. While $102,310 is more than double the average price of a new car sold today, it is several thousand dollars less than the lowest price gas S-Class (and also doesn’t really have a Model S competitive model since it now only comes in AWD).

The 580 4Matic is the other EQS model, offering dual motors that together produce 516 horsepower and 631 foot-pounds of torque. Quoted factory 0-60 times are 4.1 seconds, but the instant torque of an electric vehicle made it feel much faster on my drive. The all-wheel drive and extra power, used judiciously, only drop the 580’s range to 340 miles on a single charge. Both models are capable of fast charging up to 200 kW, for instance, taking the car from a 10% state of charge to 80% in about a half-hour. This model starts at $119,110, but includes a high level of standard equipment. Fully optioned, a 580 4Matic is only slightly north of $125,000. An AMG variant will likely bump that up even more, past Model S Plaid territory.

Eventually, Mercedes says it will have electric versions of all of its models with the EVs displacing gas and diesel models completely by the end of this decade. The EQS is its first electric volley into the American market. It looks like it will definitely find its place.

Mercedes-Benz sees itself as a car company. Yes, they make and sell a ton of SUVs, but when you think of Mercedes, the company wants you to visualize an S-Class sedan. Starting now, it would like you to shift that vision to the EQS.

Mercedes’ number one goal in its electrification program is retaining its solid customer base. Every electric model introduced (the EQS is the first shot, but will be followed next year by the EQB SUV and the EQE) will initially sell alongside its ICE doppelganger.

A secondary goal of the EQS is conquest sales of Tesla Model S owners. Bernie Glaser, head of product management at Mercedes-Benz USA said the company was “ready” to help Tesla owners find a new home.

Glaser added that his expectation is that the EQS will be an immediate hit, paving the way for the parade of electric models that will follow. But the backup plan is the ICE S-Class will be available next to the EQS, offering what Glaser termed “the best of both worlds” to potential customers.

Two Days of Everyday NorCal Driving

During a two-day drive around the San Francisco Bay area, we got to put the EQS through all the usual driving a Mercedes driver in the region might encounter—crawling through clogged city streets, tackling serpentine mountain roads, cruising along scenic coastal highways and even blasting along the Interstate. The EQS didn’t miss a beat in either the rear-wheel drive 450+ or the 580 4Matic all-wheel drive.

Handling was enhanced by a standard air suspension and Mercedes trick 10-degree rear axle steering. Neither model ever felt like it was going anywhere but as directed by the driver. Four driving modes give the driver some control over the basic road feel while different brake regen modes moderate the amount of energy returned to the battery.

Not Just an Electric Clone

The looks of the EQS confirm it is not simply an electric clone of its conventional brother, but rather a subtle reshaping of the classic Mercedes look that identifies it as part of the family. The styling picks up signature looks from concept cars like 2015’s F 015, a rounded, interior-focused car that focused on the amenities of the interior.

The exterior is rather subdued for a six-figure luxury car, but that follows a Mercedes tradition. It does boast a dramatic 0.20 coefficient of drag. The true definition of the car is in the interior, where designers and engineers have poured their hearts and souls into creating something that defines the company vision of “progressive luxury.” Eschewing Tesla’s minimalist approach, the EQS has as its centerpiece a massive 56-inch curved dash (first shown at CES earlier this year).

While the Hyperscreen presents as a single piece of glass, the dash is divided into three independent sections, so the information potential is rather large. The most novel portion is the far-right third screen, which only appears when a passenger is present, but offers that passenger a suite of entertainment and information options—though not including Netflix videos (yet).

Other interior features include a floating center console made possible with the flat floor because of the absence of a driveline tunnel as well as a 64-color spectrum of ambient lighting.

Aggressive Pricing

The EQS pricing may say the most about Mercedes’ sales ambitions. The EQS 450+, a well-equipped rear-wheel drive, starts at $102,310, compared to the S-Class at $109,800. The dual-motor AWD 580 4Matic AWD begins at $119,110. The three trim levels take the EQS through modest upgrades with the topline 580 Pinnacle starting at $125,310.

That pricing may well move the needle on the EQ models as they’re introduced, lending credence to Mercedes’ goals of having 50% of global sales electrified by 2025 and by 2030 having all electric vehicles in its offerings (with its caveat—where market conditions allow).

While the Tesla Model S starts at $94,990 for a fast (0-60 in 3.1 seconds) and long-range (405 miles) dual-motor vehicle, there is not much other competition out there. The 2022 BMW 745e, an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid, retails for $95,900. Lucid Motors has started deliveries on its $169,000 Air Dream Edition AWD with 520 miles of range and eventually plans a rear-wheel drive model that will retail for $77,400 with 406 miles of range. Other competitive models from other companies are still in the planning stages. 

The Green Build

A final point Mercedes makes with the EQS is its green credentials don’t begin when the door handles automatically extend out to greet you. The factory building the EQS (No. 56 in Sindelfingen outside Mercedes headquarters in Stuttgart) has already reduced energy use, expanded its use of recycled components and added solar panels to supply 30% of its energy, on its way to being a CO₂ neutral facility.

The company also is developing plans to recycle the batteries coming out of the EQS and other models at the end of their life. That recycling operation will take place at Mercedes’ Tuscaloosa, Alabama, manufacturing plant.  

The new flagship of the Mercedes brand plans to stand proudly on these green credentials, but fully expects to sell itself as the epitome of where the company is headed. The EQS is more than just a new electrified S-Class; it is the “most significant Mercedes” and an “accelerant within the company,” as one executive put it. Some expansive drives around the San Francisco Bay area did nothing to dispel that image. The proof will come with consumer, especially existing Mercedes customers, reaction as the EQS arrives.

Story by Michael Coates. Photos by Michael & Mercedes. Parts of this story originally appeared in Autoweek.

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Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

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