Mercedes-Benz EQS: the electric super-saloon from Mercedes that shakes up not only Tesla

After revealing its spectacular interior, the new Mercedes-Benz EQS keeps on revealing details. The new member of the S-Class, with 100% electric propulsion, can now be seen still wrapped in camouflage, yet it reveals and confirms many technical details. And judging by what Mercedes is announcing, its main rivals may start to worry.

The Mercedes EQS will reach the European market in summer. It will later be followed by the EQ version of the E-Class, the EQE, and their respective SUV body-style variants.

Record aerodynamics, up to 770 km of range

Among the many technical innovations of the Mercedes EQS, its aerodynamic bodywork stands out, which plays a major role in achieving a range approaching 800 km: 770 km on a single battery charge, according to the WLTP cycle.

Mercedes had already hinted that the EQS could be the car with the best drag coefficient on the market. And now it confirms it. The Cx of 0.20 is a new record for a production car. It achieves this, logically, through exhaustive development in the wind tunnel.

But also through measures such as a , and through features like the aero wheels, the flush-fitting retractable door handles, the downward-sloping rear design or a very steeply raked windscreen. The frontal area is 2.51 square metres. The Cx of 0.20 corresponds to the version with 19-inch wheels; the EQS can be fitted with wheels of up to 22 inches.

Rear-wheel or all-wheel drive versions, up to 385 kW of power

We also already know that there will initially be two versions, depending on the engine, transmission and battery:

• Mercedes EQS 450+: 245 kW (333 CV), 568 Nm of torque, rear-wheel drive, 90 kWh battery
• Mercedes EQS 580 4MATIC+: 385 kW (514 CV), 855 Nm of torque, all-wheel drive, 107.8 kWh battery

For now there are no performance figures beyond the top speed, limited on both models to 210 km/h. The intelligent 4MATIC all-wheel drive continuously controls torque up to 10,000 times per minute. The energy recovery system also works intelligently, capable of recovering up to 290 kW of power. The driver can, however, select three levels of regeneration from the steering-wheel paddles.

Battery warranted for 10 years or 250,000 km

The architecture on which the Mercedes EQS is based is fully scalable, with a modular design. This also applies to the battery. It is a new generation developed by the brand itself, with a 400-volt architecture, the possibility of over-the-air updates to the management system, and a manufacturing process that has managed to reduce cobalt by up to 10%.

Mercedes certifies the EQS battery for 10 years or 250,000 km, for which the car features an intelligent charge-management system that conditions the battery in advance, cooling or heating it as needed, to extend its useful life when fast charging is used.

The Mercedes EQS can be recharged using direct current at a power of 200 kW, which allows 300 km of range to be recovered in just 15 minutes. For charging with alternating current at home or at public charging stations, the on-board charger can be used (up to 22 kW optionally). In Japan, the EQS will also offer bidirectional charging.

HEPA filter for the cabin and electric-intelligence navigation

Another standout feature of the Mercedes EQS is the novel HEPA filter used to purify the cabin. It measures 100x41x40 cm and claims a filtration and particle-separation capacity of up to 99.65%. To do this, around 600 g of activated carbon is used. Mercedes states that its absorption area is equivalent to that of 150 football pitches.

The cloud-based intelligent navigation function is another element that improves comfort on board. The system automatically calculates where, when and how the best moment to recharge during a journey is, based on the energy used, the forecast energy consumption for the route, the weather, traffic and charging infrastructure.

Mercedes-Benz EQS image gallery