Nearly everything about the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS electric car is extreme. From the touchscreen that takes up the entire dashboard to the air filtration system that lets you play a symphony of smells, nearly everything about the car is over-the-top.
Nearly. The range is 350 miles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. That’s better than most electric cars, but perhaps not the best-on-the-market number you might expect from a car that shows off everything Mercedes-Benz engineers can do with electricity.
Long, but Not the Longest Available
EPA testing is often one of the last things buyers learn about a new car before dealers start selling it. The EQS is nearly ready for sale. The Mercedes website now lets you search local dealer inventory for the car, though dealers haven’t sold it yet.
The EPA certified the EQS for 340 miles in all-wheel-drive (AWD) dual-motor EQS 580 4Matic trim. The rear-wheel-drive (RWD) EQS 450+ version earned its badge at 350 miles. That equals the performance of the Tesla Model S Plaid (rated for 348 miles). It’s bested only by the Model S Long Range (405 miles) and the Lucid Air (a record-setting 520 miles in its longest-range form).
Mercedes’ New Electric Flagship
The EQS is the flag bearer of Mercedes’ plan to go all-electric in markets with enough EV infrastructure by the end of the decade. In a surprise move, Mercedes priced the EQS lower than the brand’s gas-powered flagship S-Class sedan. The electric model is arguably more luxurious than its internal combustion-powered cousin. It offers show-stopping features like that cabin-spanning Hyperscreen and a power nap mode that makes sleeping in the car sound like hitting a luxury resort for the weekend.
The EQS starts at $102,310 (plus a $1,050 destination fee). That price gets you a 329-horsepower, RWD model with rear-wheel steering. Our test driver found it “refined and more than amply powered” and said, “it makes 70 mph feel about like 50.”
A step up to the EQS 580 4Matic fetches 516 horsepower, AWD, and the Hyperscreen as standard equipment for a starting price of $119,110.
Class of 2022: All the New and Redesigned Cars, Trucks, and SUVs
