What kind of car is the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS? What does it compare to?
Mercedes swings big with the EQS electric vehicle that’s billed as the eventual successor to the ultra-posh S-Class sedan, with a fully electric powertrain and a futuristic interior. Rivals at this level of electric luxury (and price) are few, and include the Lucid Air and the Tesla Model S.
Is the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS a good car?
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Very much so. It earns a TCC Rating of 8.0 out of 10, with its extensive features (both optional and standard), 350 miles of electric range, and luxurious interior leading the way. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS?
Everything is new for this all-new model, starting with its platform. The EQS rides on the Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA), which will underpin many of the forthcoming EQ electric vehicles from Mercedes. What’s on top of that is eye-catching, mostly because of its shape. Mercedes started with the goal of a 0.20 coefficient of drag, the lowest of any production car, and designed the exterior around that goal. Wheels range from 20- to 21-inches in a wide array of futuristic designs.
When you’re sitting inside the EQS however, the awkward proportions don’t matter because the interior is a gorgeous, technological tour-de-force. A 12.8-inch portrait-style touchscreen lifted from the S-Class comes standard in 450+ models, but the available MBUX Hyperscreen transforms the front of the cabin into a digital playscape (it is standard on the 580).
Behind a single pane of glass that stretches across the dashboard are three screens: two 12.3-inch displays for the driver and passenger flank a 17.7-inch screen in the middle. The screens are powered by a tweaked version of MBUX that incorporates a “zero layer” in the center screen, so called because the system will learn your preferences and present the items that may be of interest as small windows so you can access commonly used functions on the top layer of the screen without going into any menus at all.
The interior materials match the luxury standard set by the S-Class, with several types of available leathers in a variety of hues. The front seats aren’t car seats as much as thrones with all of the heating/cooling/massaging features you could imagine.
The EQS is offered in 450+ and 580 configurations, with the rear-wheel-drive 450+ featuring a single 245-kw rear motor that pumps out 329 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque. Jump up to the all-wheel-drive 580 to add a second, front-mounted 140-kw motor that bumps total output up to 516 hp and 631 lb-ft. Both use the same 107.8-kwh battery pack mounted beneath the floor. Despite the added weight and the extra motor on the 580, its EPA range estimate of 340 miles stays close to the 350 miles of range on the 450+.
The EQS can quick charge at up to 200 kw, where it’s available. When charging at 110 kw, it takes about 30 minutes to fill the battery from 10-80%. On a Level 2 wall charger, it takes 11 hours to charge completely from 10%.
The EQS comes with all of Mercedes’ safety features and advanced driver aids standard, including adaptive cruise control, active lane control, blindspot monitors, and automatic emergency braking.
How much does the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS cost?
The 450+ starts at $103,360 (including destination charges), with the 580 starting at $120,160. As expected, standard equipment is substantial with heated and cooled front seats, leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, Burmester 3D sound system, a surround-view camera system, active parking assist, and 20-inch wheels. The 580 adds on the Hyperscreen and 21-inch wheels as standard equipment.
Where is the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS made?
The EQS is built in Sindelfingen, Germany.