Mercedes-Benz EQS has Tesla-topping 700km range

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its upcoming EQS battery electric luxury limousine will have a Tesla-topping 700km-plus range.

Due to be revealed as soon as late 2020, the EQS will be based on the Vision EQS concept unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in 2019.

The EQS is the electric sibling of the traditional ICE-powered S-Class in the same way the EQC lines up alongside the GLC SUV and the forthcoming EQA alongside the GLA-class hatchback.

And like the S-Class, which is to be overhauled in 2021, the EQS is intended to be a flagship for the German manufacturer’s smarts and technology.

FIRST DRIVE REVIEW: Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ electric limousine

Critically, it will be the first of Benz’s new generation of electric cars to be based on its dedicated EVA platform.

Speaking at the Daimler annual general meeting via video, chairman of the board of management Ola Kallenius described the EQS as “a new era for Mercedes in terms of electrification”.

“The EQS will set new standards. More than 700 kilometres of driving range according to WLTP. That’s how far it can go on one battery charge,” he said.

“With the EQS, the way we think and conceive cars is changing. It is the first fully electric Mercedes-Benz which was developed from scratch as an E-car.

“This opens up entirely new possibilities – from the layout of the batteries to the car’s styling.

“The EQS plays in the same league as the S-class in terms of luxury, comfort and safety. But the EQS is also a symbol for Germany’s future capability.

“The batteries come from our plant in Stuttgart-Unterturkheim and the car will drive off the assembly line in factory 56 in Sindelfingen.”

The 700km-plus WLTP range claim translates to 435 miles, which tops the best figure for the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus, which is 402 miles – or 647km – on the tougher EPA test.

The crunch will come when the production EQS submits to the EPA test and if it still has an advantage over the Tesla then.

The range claim for the EQS matches the concept, which has dual electric motors generating about 350kW and 760Nm serviced by an approximate 100kWh battery pack. Acceleration 0-100km/h was rated at 4.5 sec and top speed 200km/h.

Read our first drive of the Vison EQS concept car here.

By the way, there is another long range contender out there, the Chinese Xpeng X7, which claims a 706km range based on looser NEDC methodology.