Everything we know about the Mercedes EQS SUV in Jan 2022

On October 6, 2020, Daimler revealed plans to add new Mercedes electric SUVs to the portfolio, including a top-of-the-line Mercedes EQS SUV model. Mercedes-Benz is now preparing to unveil its most expensive and luxurious electric vehicle yet, and here is everything we know about the car.

Individual Design

In contrast to the strategy used by the Mercedes EQA and the Mercedes EQB, the Mercedes EQS SUV isn’t a modified GLS Class with a closed fascia. A new model designed from the ground up, the EQS would look dynamic with proportions that are not possible for a combustion engine product.

Daimler’s Chief Design Officer Gorden Wagener has given a basic understanding of the Mercedes EQS SUV’s design and explained how the flagship electric SUV would look different from the Mercedes GLS. The EQS SUV “will be more seamless, more integrated, more aerodynamic, more futuristic looking, (and) so, it will be a new type of SUV.” Wagener said, as per an Auto Express report. “The windscreen will be stretched forward as with the EQS, let’s say more but not all the way forward,” he added. Not all of the EQS characteristics will be seen on the SUV version, though, like styling lines, for instance, which “wouldn’t be as fast.”

Sci-fi looks

The Mercedes EQS SUV would have a sleek silhouette, a more sci-fi front and rear lights connected via a full-width light stripe, low-profile bumpers, and a black closed-off upper grille. A low ground clearance, short length, low height, sloping roofline, and a steeply angled back glass would give it a sporty stance and the complete identity of an electric vehicle.

A black panel serving as a faux radiator grille will likely be customizable with a 3D star pattern. The black panel surface would not only be a piece of decor but also neatly hide the vehicle’s various sensors (LiDAR, radar, ultrasound, and camera) required for its driver assistance systems.

As on the EQS sedan, the A-pillar would be far forward for a generous passenger compartment. The overhangs and the front-end will be short and the rear smoothly rounded, in what design moguls call a cab-forward design. The Mercedes EQS SUV will sport headlights with a DRL featuring three light dots connected via a light band. The lower grilles should feature a curvy look that is common to all Mercs, complemented by the flush-fitting door handles. The latest spy shots reveals that, like on the EQS, the flush door handles would feature a backlight. They may extend out and illuminate on being caressed, as on the sedan.

The EQS SUV will likely come with a 22-inch wheel option, with lower variants settling for 20- or 21-inch wheels. Unlike the standard SUV, the 2023 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV, which is likely to be available even in two-tone paint options, should feature the wheel arch flares in the vehicle color.

Video Source: YouTube/walkoARTvideos

The final design of the side profile will be different from what we saw in the official teaser video released during the New Mercedes-Benz strategy update in October 2020. More recent prototypes clearly reveal the large rear windows with vent glass and a relatively straighter beltline. As a result, we can see that the EQS SUV will be closer to the GLS SUV on the sides than originally thought. You can view these changes in walkoARTvideos’ new spy video embedded above.

At the rear, the EQS SUV won’t be upright like the GLS. It has a modern crossover-like tailgate with a visibly forward-leaning windscreen. The spy shot above, which also comes from Instagram user constantin.holzer, reveals how the detailing of the rear lights would be in the form of a curved 3D helix, just like in the EQS. Instead of a chrome trim like on the GLS, expect a narrow light band bridging the lights to endow the SUV with a sci-fi and sophisticated styling.

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We got the first preview of the EQS SUV design in the near-production Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV concept on September 5, 2021. The silhouette and lights should be more or less the same, although the Maybach model’s lights themselves will likely look a little different and bigger in the production version.

Digital Light

Digital Light headlamps, which can project guide markings or warning symbols onto the road, should be available optionally. Expect them to have a light module with three extremely powerful LEDs each, with a combined resolution of more than 2.6 million pixels. These headlamps should work in conjunction with the navigation system and take hills into account when projecting anything onto the road. They will likely even add to the drama of the flagship SUV by giving a special light show to welcome and say farewell to the driver.

Tech-laden, sumptuous interior

The Mercedes EQS SUV interior would be remarkably different from the GLS or even the S-Class. Daimler would replicate the EQS sedan’s sensational cabin with SUV-specific touches.

MBUX Hyperscreen

The Mercedes EQS SUV will feature the MBUX Hyperscreen, an optional highly digital dashboard that debuted in the EQS. A large, curved Gorilla Glass surface would stretch nearly the entire width and mount three displays (driver display, central display, and passenger display) beneath it. The central and passenger displays would be OLED units.

The MBUX Hyperscreen, with its full-width (141 cm/55.5 in.), curved 3D glass cover, and the three flush-mounted displays blending seamlessly, brings a whole new in-car user experience. The central and passenger displays are OLED units. From entertainment to connectivity, navigation, massage, energy management, and more, almost every vehicle function is at the fingertips.

Introducing the MBUX Hyperscreen, Vera Schmidt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Advanced Digital Design, said that it is a “milestone” in combining analog and digital design. “For me, the Hyperscreen’s clear, minimalist design and strong anchor points make it intuitive and straightforward to use,” she said.

The MBUX High-End Rear Seat Entertainment Plus package ensures chauffeured owners stay connected. It has two 11.6-inch displays comprising touch controls on the back of the two headrests. Optionally, the MBUX rear tablet is available.

HEPA filter

Expect the EQS SUV to come with a large HEPA filter (High-Efficiency Particulate Air), eliminating pollen, fine dust, and minute particles from the cabin. Special activated charcoals filter out nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and odors.

The HEPA filter would reside under the aluminum hood of the SUV. Measuring 23/16/1.6 inches and having a volume of almost three gallons, the filter would reduce pollutants in the incoming outside air, making it comparable to a level of a clean home and operating room. It would carry the OFI CERT” ZG 250-1 certification for virus and bacteria protection. The hood would remain locked, and in case of a requirement to open it, say to replace the air filter, only a technician at an authorized service station would be able to do it.

Augmented Reality Head-Up Display

Another visual highlight is likely to be an AR-enabled head-up display, the display area of which may be equivalent to a screen measuring 77 inches diagonally. This might be an optional feature, with a smaller, non-AR HUD being the standard equipment.

Welcome function

Rear-seat passengers would also experience a highly digital interior, thanks to MBUX High-End Rear Seat Entertainment Plus. In the EQS sedan, this feature consists of two 11.6-inch touchscreen panels mounted on the front seats’ backrests. The Hey Mercedes voice assistant will be operable from the rear as well. One can expect the availability of an MBUX rear tablet with downloadable Android apps.

If required or desired, the vehicle would even hold the driver’s door open. Moreover, the driver can extend this easy-entry function to the rear-seat occupants using MBUX and let in children while picking them up from a school. They can close the doors conveniently and with little physical movement by simply using a one-touch operation. It would be possible to activate or deactivate the welcome function.

Acoustic Comfort Package

To make the EQS the quietest Mercedes SUV ever, Daimler will likely extend its efforts to offer customers additional insulation measures with an Acoustic Comfort Package. With this package, customers should get an option to configure their EQS SUV with acoustically effective laminated windows and back glass, leading to reduced wind noise and ambient noise when the vehicle is in motion.

In the configurations checked with a panoramic sunroof, which may also be an optional feature, there should be enough noise reduction measures even without the Acoustic Comfort Package, such as wind deflectors, covers, and seals.

On the optional panoramic roof, various wind deflection measures (wind deflectors, covers, and seals with optimized geometry) ensure a high level of quiet running despite the large opening area of the roof.

Advanced climate control

With pre-entry climate control and Thermotronic automatic climate control, the Mercedes EQS SUV should offer excellent climate comfort in most situations the very second customers step inside.

With pre-entry climate control, customers can set the departure time and desired cabin temperature in advance using the Mercedes me app or the vehicle’s central display. In the case of preheating, pre-entry climate control would extend to not only the interior air but also the seats.

Thermotronic automatic climate control is a four-zone automatic climate control system. The rear-seat occupants can separately set the temperature for their side using a dedicated climate control panel. Moreover, a sensor for air quality and harmful gases keeps a constant watch on the air quality outside the vehicle. It switches the system to recirculation mode if elevated pollutant levels outside are detected. An integrated activated carbon-based air filter should be standard.

Thermotronic will probably be an optional feature, and as standard, one can expect the Thermatic dual-zone automatic climate control system. It may also have an intelligent recirculation mode, but just not as good as that of Thermotronic.

Active Ambient Lighting

Energizing Comfort also uses Active Ambient Lighting to provide a better experience. Active Ambient Lighting changes the vehicle’s ambient lighting as per the current drive mode. Moreover, it gives color feedback when using the vehicle’s climate control system, voice assistant, or other features. That’s not all. It is integrated into the vehicle’s driver assistance systems to complement their alerts with visual warnings. This also should be an optional feature in the EQS SUV.

Energizing packages

Two optional packages, Energizing Package Front and Energizing Package Rear, should allow customers to configure their EQS SUV with various Energizing features for wellness-oriented Energizing features. Energizing Package Front may include Energizing Coach, Energizing Comfort, Air-Balance Package, Multi-Contour Seat Package, steering wheel heating, and driver and front passenger seat climate control. Energizing Package Rear may include Rear Seat Entertainment Plus, Rear Seat Comfort Package, and Rear Seat Package.

Burmester surround sound system

A 710-watt, 15-speaker Burmester surround system teamed up with the MBUX displays will likely ensure that the Mercedes EQS SUV is always ready to entertain customers, particularly the audiophiles, in the most engaging way possible. It would please comfort-focused customers who desire peace on the go and when using ‘Energizing Nature’ programs that play the calming sounds of nature (forest, sea, rain, etc.) for relaxation.

No virtual mirrors

Wagener has hinted that the Mercedes EQS SUV won’t feature digital exterior mirrors. The Audi e-tron was the world’s first mass-market model to feature virtual exterior mirrors, and now, the Audi e-tron Sportback is also available with the same. Wagner told Autocar that virtual exterior mirrors are more aerodynamically efficient, but they aren’t a smart idea. They eat up so much power that they don’t make sense, “especially on electric cars,” the world-renowned car designer said.

Dedicated BEV Platform

Daimler is developing the EQS SUV on a dedicated electric skateboard architecture called Electric Vehicle Architecture or just EVA that currently underpins the EQS. This platform allows an “exceptionally quiet ride” and clever interior packaging for more space in dimensions similar to or smaller than an equivalent combustion engine model.

A report from JESMB says that keeping the EQS SUV’s gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3.5 tonnes (7716.18 pounds) was a challenge during the development. If a car’s GVW isn’t under 3.5 tonnes, customers in the European Union countries cannot drive it with the standard B category driving license for cars.

Air suspension

The AIRMATIC air suspension with continuously adjustable damping ADS+ should be standard in the Mercedes EQS SUV. At highway speeds, from around 120 km/h (75 mph), the vehicle’s height is automatically reduced to lower air resistance and improve the range. How lower the vehicle becomes from around 120 km/h (75 mph) would depend on the drive mode selected. Comfort, Sport, Eco, and Individual (custom) are likely to be the available selections of drive mode. AIRMATIC should also keep the ground clearance of the vehicle constant no matter what the vehicle load is. It should be possible to raise the body with this air suspension at slow speeds.

Range & output

Daimler has confirmed that the motors of the EVA platform can generate up to 500 kW or 670 horsepower, drawing power from a battery pack with an energy storage capacity of up to 107.8 kWh (net/usable). As the Mercedes EQS SUV will be the flagship car, expect it to boast the best possible outputs. The EQS comes in 245-385 kW (328-516 hp) power variants and has a restricted, limited top speed of up to 210 km/h (130 mph). As we saw in the case of the sedan, an AMG variant with around 650 hp (~750 hp with a boost function) and 700 lb-ft (~750 lb-ft with a boost function) could follow shortly after.

Battery options

Expect two battery pack options, a standard-range unit with 10 cell modules and a 90 kWh usable energy content and an extended-range unit with 12 cell modules and 107.8 kWh usable energy content. The cell chemistry of both units should be optimized for sustainability. The content of scarce materials like nickel, cobalt, and manganese could be in a ratio of 8:1:1, meaning that cobalt content among the three elements may not be more than 10%.

In the EQS, the 107.8 kWh battery pack provides a range of 784 km (487) miles in the single-motor 450+ variant and 672 km (418 miles) in the dual-motor 580 4MATIC variant. The range (WLTP) with the 90 kWh battery pack isn’t out yet. Daimler confirmed that it has planned WLTP ranges of around 600 km (373 miles) for the Mercedes EQS SUV architecture. That would allow traveling non-stop from Munich to Berlin, or Los Angeles to San Francisco.

In the U.S.-spec EQS sedan, the 107.8 kWh battery pack is standard, and it delivers an EPA-est. range of 350 miles in the 450+ variant, and 340 miles in the 580 4MATIC variant. The U.S.-spec EQS SUV with the 107.8 kWh battery pack could get an EPA-est. range certification of over 300 miles.

Like the EQS, the EQS SUV could be more efficient than what the EPA certification states. Edmunds managed to achieve a range of 422 miles, well over the EPA-est. figure of 350 miles, in an EQS 450+ driven in a real-world EV range loop. A positive difference of 72 miles or roughly 21% is a big deal in the EV world, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the EQS SUV also over-delivers. Edmunds notes that it would cost just USD 13.55 for the whole trip if the car was charged in Washington, and USD 44.70, if the test was conducted in Hawaii.

Rear-axle steering

According to the report from JESMB, the Mercedes EQS SUV’s maximum permissible trailer load will be 1,800 kg (3,968 pounds). It states that the sedan features rear-axle steering in two variants: 4.5° and 10°. The Mercedes EQS SUV would have rear-axle steering, perhaps in the same maximum angle options as the platform is shared.

Bidirectional charging capability

The Mercedes EQS SUV should be chargeable with up to 22 kW with AC using the onboard charger and 200 kW with DC at fast-charging stations. At fast-charging stations with 500 amperes, charging for 15 minutes may increase the range by around 300 km/186 miles (WLTP). The units sold in the USA and Europe should feature Combined Charging System or CCS, which allows plugging in AC and DC chargers via the same connection.

In Japan, the EQS SUV, like the EQS, should come with the Charge de Move or CHAdeMO charging system. Another exclusive for the units shipped to this market will likely be bidirectional charging support that allows customers to use their vehicle to provide electricity to the grid and power their homes.

Plug & Charge

Mercedes EQS SUV customers in the U.S. and Canada will likely benefit from Plug & Charge functionality at many charging stations. All that the customers would do to charge the electric SUV is open the flap and plug in the charger. The charging station would automatically identify the connected vehicle, and the supply would start flowing without further interactions. The preferred payment method saved in the ‘Mercedes me Charge’ app would automatically debit the payment for charging.

Once you arrive at the charging station, the brand new feature “Plug & Charge” simplifies the complete experience: Plug in, charge, unplug – just as easy. No authentication is required and the payment automatically runs in the background without any additional hassle or action. Plug & Charge will go live with the market launch of the EQS this year.

Sajjad Khan, former Chief Technical Officer, Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Strategy Update: electric drive)

The Plug & Charge functionality, which works on the ISO 15118 standard, will likely be available across the entire Electrify America DC fast charger network right from launch. For the EQS, Plug & Charge was going live with its market launch in 2021. ChargePoint and other DC charging networks may also offer the same convenience. Mercedes EQ customers will benefit from ChargePoint’s wide network of 60,000 public charging places in the U.S.

We have partnered with ChargePoint in the U.S. Together we will establish a new benchmark charging network with access to almost 60,000 public charging places nationwide through all relevant charging networks. And as an industry first, the additional integration of more than 60,000 semi-public chargers at shopping malls, hotels and workplaces make Mercedes me Charge the largest integrated network in the US – with just one account!

Sajjad Khan, former Chief Technical Officer, Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Strategy Update: electric drive)

Autonomous driving

Mercedes-Benz is the world’s first automotive company that has received internationally valid system approval for an SAE Level 3 autonomous driving system. The company will start offering Drive Pilot in the S-Class by June. German customers will be able to experience Drive Pilot first, and American and Chinese customers could be next in line.

Drive Pilot can control the vehicle’s speed and distance, and guide the vehicle within its lane. It can understand events occurring on the route and traffic signs and take the required actions. It can also react to unexpected traffic situations, e.g. by evasive maneuvers or braking. LiDAR sensor, a camera in the rear window and microphones, a wetness sensor, and various other technologies work in harmony for the autonomous driving functions. Together with the satellite navigation system’s data for the route, the sensors help create an HD map for a 3D street and environment image.

The Mercedes EQS SUV should be technically ready for SAE Level 4 autonomous driving. New automated driving features should be progressively enabled with software upgrades at various stages during the vehicle’s lifecycle. One can expect the optional Drive Pilot feature to be available right from launch. In the case of EQS, Drive Pilot will allow the driver to delegate the task of driving to the vehicle at speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 mph) in areas where traffic density is high or in tailbacks on suitable highway sections, initially in Germany.

Remote Parking Assist for parking/unparking the vehicle via smartphone should also be available right from launch, while Automated Valet Parking may become available at a later stage.

Unmatched safety

The Mercedes EQS is likely to be among the safest electric luxury SUVs in the industry. Plenty of new-age active and passive safety features, including but not limited to the following, are expected on the bespoke electric SUV:

• Belt airbag
• Window airbag
• Evasive Steering Assist
• Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
• Active Steering Assist
• Traffic Sign Assist
• Active Lane Keeping Assist
• Active Lane Change Assist
• Active Emergency Stop Assist
• Attention Assist
• Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
• Active Blind Spot Assist and exit warning function

Made in USA

Daimler plans to manufacture EVA platform models in Germany, China, and the United States. The EQS sedan’ global production takes place at the Factory 56 plant located in Sindelfingen, Germany. The contract for the Mercedes EQE sedan’s global production has also gone to that German plant.

However, the global production of the Mercedes EQS SUV and Mercedes EQE SUV will be in the United States, given the high demand forecast for premium electric utility vehicles from ‘legacy’ car companies and electric vehicle startups this decade in the local market.

In December 2020, Daimler announced that it plans to manufacture the Mercedes EQS SUV at the Tuscaloosa plant (Alabama, USA) from 2022. The American factory produces the GLE, the GLE Coupe, and the full-size GLS. The company also plans to make the battery packs of the U.S.-built Mercedes EQ SUV models locally. In the Concept Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV announcement on September 5, 2021, the company reaffirmed that the Mercedes EQS SUV production is on track to begin this year.

To reach our goal until the end of the decade, we will need a capacity of more than 200 Gigawatt hours. Therefore, I’m happy to announce today that we will set up eight new gigafactories together with our partners around the world. One of the gigafactories will be set up in the U.S. to produce the majority of batteries for the cars and vans from our Tuscaloosa and Charleston plant.

Mercedes-Benz Cars COO and Daimler R&D head Markus Schafer (Mercedes-Benz Strategy Update: electric drive)

Daimler has filed trademark applications for EQS 350, EQS 400, EQS 420, EQS 450, EQS 500, EQS 580, EQS 53, and EQS 63, and used some of these names. We expect the EQS SUV to have a similar variant series. For reference, the EQS range now includes an EQS 450+, an EQS 580 4MATIC, and an AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+.

Bernie Glaser, the director of product management at Mercedes-Benz USA, has hinted to CarBuzz that the EQS could become the S-Class when Mercedes becomes an all-electric company. We don’t see a reason for the EQS SUV and GLS SUV not merging into a single model when that transition occurs next decade.

Mercedes EQS SUV release date

Daimler has confirmed that it plans to unveil the Mercedes EQS SUV this year. German reports suggest that the company could launch the flagship dedicated electric SUV by June.

Next year we will present SUV versions of our EQE as well as of our EQS. All these cars will provide high range, first-class comfort and impressive dynamics.

Britta Seeger, BoM member – Marketing and Sales, Daimler AG and Mercedes Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Strategy Update: electric drive in July 2021)

Event	Mercedes EQS SUV release schedule
World Premiere	Early 2022
Launch	Spring 2022 (March-May 2022)
Delivery Commencement	Mid-2022 (June-August 2022)

According to another report from JESMB, Daimler plans to take orders for the Mercedes EQS SUV from this spring (March-May). As per the German blog, production preparations for the Mercedes EQS SUV and the Mercedes EQE SUV that arrives later “are already in full swing.”

American publication MotorTrend reported in October 2021 that the Mercedes EQS SUV would arrive in the “last half of 2022.” The story in which this detail appeared had inputs on future launches from Heiko Schmidt, the EQ brand manager at Mercedes-Benz USA.

Mercedes EQS SUV Price

In the internal combustion engine vehicle line-up, the U.S.-built Mercedes GLS (USD 76,000 onwards) is cheaper than its sedan counterpart, the German-made Mercedes S-Class (USD 109,800 onwards).

However, don’t expect the Mercedes EQS SUV to come in considerably cheaper than the EQS. The prices of the Mercedes EQS, which is an imported model in the U.S., start at USD 102,310 and go up to USD 125,310. We expect that the locally-manufactured Mercedes EQS SUV’s prices would fall in the USD 100,000-130,000 bracket.

Mercedes EQS SUV FAQs