Mercedes EQS release date, range, performance and features Mercedes EQS

The Mercedes EQS fully electric car has been officially unveiled after months of teasers and feature announcements.

We’d already been given a good look round the interior of the new Mercedes EQS, but at its April 15, 2021 launch event the German auto maker finally took the camouflage off the exterior to reveal its next electric vehicle in all its glory.

The luxury sedan boasts a whole host of tech, including the 56-inch Hyperscreen, as well as supreme range and a record-breaking design.

It sits at the top of Mercedes’ fully electric range, with the EQA and EQC providing more affordable alternatives, and goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model S, Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? Mercedes’ latest, and most premium, electric car to date
• When’s it out? The EQS will be available later this year
• What will it cost? Likely a lot, but the EQS price is still TBC

Mercedes EQS: release date and price

There’s no firm Mercedes EQS release date just yet, all we know is it will be available later in 2021, while ordering is yet to open for this premium electric car.

What also remains a mystery is the Mercedes EQS price. The firm has said that the EQS sits at a similar level to the S-Class saloon – which starts at $94,250 / £78,730 (around AU$120,000) – which may give us a rough idea of how much this EV will cost.

In terms of availability, the UK will get the EQS 450+ with RWD (rear-wheel drive), 245kW output and a 108kW battery. Other markets will also have the option of the more powerful EQS 580 – although it may come to the UK at a later date.

Mercedes EQS: range and charging

• Mercedes EQS range of up to 770km (around 480 miles)
• 300km / 180 miles in 15 minutes with 200kW fast charge

Thanks to recording-breaking aerodynamics, the Mercedes EQS boasts a staggering range of 770km (around 480 miles) on particular configurations, giving it a far greater range from a single charge than most other electric cars currently available.

The EQS will be available as rear-wheel and all-wheel drive options, battery sizes will be 90 kWh and 107.8 kWh with support for 200kW fast charging (300km / 180 miles in 15 minutes) and its speed will be limited to 210km/h (130 mph).

Mercedes EQS: performance and handling

• EQS 450+: RWD, 245kW, 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds
• EQS 580 4Matic: AWD, 385kW, 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.

There’s plenty of power on offer inside the Mercedes EQS. The entry-level, rear-wheel drive EQS 450+ model can produce 245kW of power, with a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 6.2 seconds and a limited top speed of 210 km/h (around 130 mph).

If you opt for the more powerful, all-wheel drive EQS 580 4Matic the power output increases to 385kW and the 0-62 mph time drops to a swift 4.3 seconds – while the top speed remains the same.

There’s also a performance version of the Mercedes EQS in the works, which the firm says will have a power output of 560kW, which could well provide a 0-62 mph time of 3 seconds or quicker.

The Mercedes EQS is a long car, but it comes with rear-axle steering as standard, which can see the rear wheels turn by up to 4.5 degrees, improving the handling and offering a turning circle of 11.9 meters.

There will be the option to upgrade (either at point of purchase, or via an over-the-air update) the rear-axle steering to 10 degrees of movement, reducing the turning circle of this five meter plus vehicle to 10.9 meters.

Mercedes EQS: model breakdown

Mercedes EQS: Hyperscreen

The Mercedes EQS is the first model from the firm to have the option of the new Hyperscreen.

We’ve know about the Mercedes MBUX Hyperscreen for several months now, after the firm originally launched the in-car display setup at the start of the year during CES 2021, and then more recently gave us a closer look at the interior of the Mercedes EQS.

The huge 56-inch Hyperscreen – which will be an option you’ll be able to add to your new EQS for an additional, currently unconfirmed, cost – spans the entire width of the EQS, incorporating two turbine shaped air vents and three separate displays.

There’s a central 17.7-inch main display, 12.3-inch passenger display and 12.3-inch instrument cluster display. The system runs the new MBUX interface and it’s powered by an eight-core CPU with 24GB of RAM. 

Packed beneath the touchscreen are 12 actuators which provide haptic feedback during operation. This generates a sensation similar to pressing a physical button when your finger touches the screen, providing assurance that your input has registered. 

Mercedes says it’s the most intelligent screen it’s ever put in a car, featuring a smart voice assistant with supports 27 different languages, plus there’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility too.

Mercedes EQS: sound

Mercedes has also developed a trio of different ‘sound worlds’ for the EQS. As electric cars being far quieter than their combustion engine counterparts, manufacturers are looking at novel ways to offer audible feedback to drivers.

The answer Mercedes has come up with are three different sound worlds; Silver Waves (which is plain, pure and simple, according to Merc), Vivid Flux (apparently targeted at techies) and Roaring Pulse (for those who have strong associations with powerful machines).

These sounds are played through 15 speakers located throughout the cabin to create a 3D world and they respond to the driving mode your in and the current situation. If you’re driving in Comfort mode at low speeds around the city the sounds will be minimal, however switch to Sport mode and put your foot down and things become much more audible.

There’s no toggle for the volume of these sounds worlds, so you’ll have to make do with the dynamic volume the EQS decides on – but the good news for those who may be put off by all this is you can turn the sound worlds off completely if you prefer silence.

The Mercedes EQS will gain more sound experiences in the future, with the firm confirming it’ll be adding more in over-the-air updates down the line. 

Mercedes EQS: design

As the name suggests, the EQS is a close relative of the S-Class saloon, with the two sharing similar body shapes and design features.

The Mercedes EQS is a premium saloon with a long, low profile, measuring 5.2 meters in length and almost two meters wide, while it tips the scales are 2.5 tons.

Part of the reason the EQS can achieve such standout range is the fact it holds a world record for aerodynamics, as the first car production car in the world with a Cd value starting from 0.20.

Depending on the model and line of EQS you opt for, you’ll get either 19-inch or 20-inch wheels and a range of equipment. 

Another optional extra available on the EQS are automatic comfort doors, which see all the door handles (which sit flush against the doors) extend out as you approach the vehicle, and as you get closer the driver’s doors will automatically open.

Once inside the vehicle, the driver is able to automatically open rears doors of the EQS via the MBUX interface.

There’s more interior space than any other electric luxury sedan currently on the market (albeit a small market for now).