Mercedes-Benz EQS revealed

The covers have finally come off the Mercedes-Benz EQS – the German car-maker’s first pure-electric luxury sedan that’s designed to stun you with its looks, shock you with its tech and satisfy even the fussiest billionaire with its luxurious cabin.

Confirmed for release in Australia, with first deliveries expected in December, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQS is much more than simply an all-electric derivative of the excellent S-Class and stands as a fitting flagship for the EQ sub-brand.

“When you see it on the road it will look like nothing else, trust me,” said one designer at a special preview attended by carsales, adding that beside a conventional sedan or SUV, the state-of-the-art EQS looks more “like a UFO”.

And those remarks are understandable considering the production model draws direct inspiration from the futuristic Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS concept unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show.

Keeping the concept’s striking ‘bow line’ – the smooth line that begins at the nose and stretches uninterrupted almost all the way to the tail – the Mercedes-Benz EQS gives the impression, perhaps not of an alien spacecraft, but of a wild four-door coupe.

The sleek silhouette also enabled designers to bless the 5.2-metre-long limo with the world’s lowest drag coefficient for a production car of just 0.20Cd (when fitted with optional aerodynamically-enhanced 19-inch AMG Line wheels) – something that took countless hours of wind tunnel testing.

Slipping through the air cleanly has enabled the EQS to maximise the driving range possible between recharges, covering up to 770km before needing a top-up.

It might look smooth to the naked eye, but look closer and there are subtle air-bending aids to keep the big sedan stable up to its limited 210km/h top speed.

A sportier AMG Line model with huge 22-inch rims is also said to trade drag for car park kudos.

From its one-piece clamshell all-aluminium bonnet to its striking tail-lights, painstaking attention to detail has been lavished on the EQS.

And if you’re wondering why the EQS has a grille, it’s because a decision was made within Daimler that all Mercedes-Benz models “need a face” no matter what motive force drives them.

Conveniently, the resulting star-pattern ‘grille’ and dark black panel surface has provided plenty of space to conceal all the Lidar, laser and radar sensors needed for its advanced semi-autonomous driving aids.

Instead of cannibalising an existing platform, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQS is the first recipient of the all-new EVA2 architecture that will be rolled out for the upcoming smaller EQE and at least one all-new large SUV.

The advanced underpinnings unlock next-gen tech and allow the car-maker to package the latest batteries low in the platform between the axles.

Developed in-house, the advanced cells are denser and have a useable energy content of 107.8kWh – 26 per cent more than the Mercedes-Benz EQC 400.

Initially, two versions will be introduced – a rear-drive single-motor EQS 450+ that produces 245kW/568Nm and provides a 0-100km/h sprint of 6.2 seconds.

A second all-wheel drive dual-motor variant badged EQS 580 4MATIC gets an additional motor to drive the front wheels. In total, the EQS 580 produces 385kW/855Nm, enough to shrug off its hefty 2585kg kerb weight and launch the vehicle to 100km/h in just 4.3sec.

A faster-still 560kW Mercedes-AMG EQS will also come later that’s set to feature electric motors developed by Benz’s performance division and a special chassis tune.

Thanks to its advanced batteries, the EQS can be charged up to 200kW at fast-charging stations, with 300km of range added in just 15 minutes.

As standard, the EQS comes with a 11kW on-board charger, with a 22kW charger an option.

Australian pricing and model line-up is still to be confirmed, with more variants expected to be announced. Price-wise, each model made available here should be roughly on par with the equivalent S-Class.

Despite featuring up to 350 sensors for full autonomous driving, from launch in most markets the EQS will only get Level 2 semi-autonomous cruise control. However, thanks to over-the-air-updates, this will eventually be upgraded to Level 3 and more.

Just like the S-Class, in Germany the EQS can drive itself in geofenced highways with optional Drive Pilot fitted, but only up to speeds of 60km/h as the car-maker awaits legislation to catch up with its tech.

Despite its focus on driverless tech, engineers haven’t neglected those who still enjoy driving themselves.

All models get a four-link front axle and a multi-link rear suspension design that are both borrowed from the S-Class. This combines with AIRMATIC air suspension that lowers 10mm at speeds above 120km/h and a further 10mm above 160km/h to enhance the aero.

Every EQS model also gets agility-boosting rear-wheel steering that, as standard, offers a steering angle of up to 4.5 degrees on the rear axle. An optional system can pivot up to 10 degrees. Both systems work to increase agility below 60km/h and increase stability at higher speeds.

Instead of outright sportiness, it’s no surprise the main focus of the Mercedes-Benz EQS, at least with the two non-AMG versions, is comfort – something that’s amply demonstrated within the cabin.

This is a place that in some versions is dominated by a massive curved glass screen that stretches the entire width of the car.

Dubbed the MBUX Hyperscreen, the optional 141cm-wide screen uses an OLED display that automatically adjusts the brightness of the screen according to the time of day and uses a multifunction interior camera.

There’s also a light sensor to ensure it’s always clear and easy to read.

As well as big, Benz claims the latest iteration of its MBUX system will be fast to use, thanks to its 24GB of RAM – around six times more memory than the average laptop or home computer.

Improving ease of use, the system’s most important functions are all accessible from the home screen and can be automatically served up to the driver if the AI (artificial intelligence) thinks you’re looking for something.

Featuring haptic feedback, the Hyperscreen does rob the cabin of some space as it means the dash has been moved closer to the driver and passenger, but thanks to a lack of a traditional engine there’s more legroom for all.

If that’s not impressive enough, the driver has a supplemental head-up display that can be super-sized to a huge 77 inches.

Occupant wellbeing was also a priority, and since it’s hoped that the EQS will succeed in markets like China, the car-maker offers an advanced air filtration system that’s capable of scrubbing all harmful fine-dust particles, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and unpleasant odours from the surrounding air.

Indeed, Mercedes says the quality of the air is so high within the cabin it meets the strict requirements of a hospital’s operating theatre.

Elsewhere within the cabin designers claim that the EQS interior is a “fusion of digital and analogue”, shunning a sanitised feel for a warm and welcoming atmosphere with different versions to appeal to both the tech-obsessive and the more traditional buyer.

Speaking of which, instead of wafting along in silence, engineers have composed a full repertoire of differing soundtracks for the EQS that all harness the power of the Benz’s 15-speaker 710W premium Burmester surround-sound system.

Created by a team of 250 acoustic sound engineers and software programmers, the EQS is claimed to need a dedicated soundtrack because it’s too quiet without any ambient noise.

From launch four soundscapes will be offered, from silence to a soft and calming noise, to a sci-fi-inspired soundtrack inspired by electronic music and Star Wars. There’s even sounds said to evoke the noise of heavy machinery. All help to provide meaningful feedback between you and the car.

In total, more than 40 new inventions were created for the EQS, with a further 20 design patent applications made to ensure rivals like Audi and BMW do not copy its tech.

But not everything is new on the EQS.

One of our personal favourite bits is the ability for the driver to automatically open the rear doors, just like a mid-1990s Japanese Toyota Crown taxi.