Mercedes-Benz unveils new flagship electric sedan EQS – Tesla is challenged
Mercedes-Benz believes its new EQS sedan will revolutionize the high-end EV segment by competing with Tesla’s flagship offerings and a growing number of EVs from new and old automakers. The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS unveiled on Thursday heralds a new electric era for the German automaker.
The car will become part of a large family of S-class cars when it goes on sale in the fall. “ EQS is designed to exceed the expectations of even our most discerning customers,” said Mercedes-Benz and Daimler CEO Ola Kaellenius in a 63-page press release. – This is exactly what a Mercedes car should do to deserve the letter “S ” in its name. Because we don’t just reward with such a letter ”.
Most notably, the interior of the car looks more like the cockpit of a futuristic spaceship. It has three large screens, almost the dashboard’s entire width, protected by a common 56-inch curved glass surface.
The automaker hasn’t released pricing for the EQS, but industry experts expect them to surpass the $ 100,000 mark easily. Starting prices for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class range from $ 94,000 to $ 160,000. Mercedes-Maybach S models may exceed the $ 100,000 mark. $ 200,000. The Tesla Model S sedan ranges from $ 79,990 to $ 149,990, including the new high-performance Model S Plaid.
“They started in the high end, ” said Jessica Caldwell, director of analysis at Edmunds.com. ” This is similar to the approach of some other automakers when the most expensive car enters the market first.”
The EQS is essentially the opposite of Tesla’s, which features a modern, simplistic interior. Some Tesla models only have one large screen in the center of the dashboard that controls almost every aspect of the car. “ EQS has to be distinctive; it has to stand out. Caldwell decided to give people the futuristic feeling that they are actually running something completely new would really appeal to some buyers. ” But I think Tesla’s simplistic design has made a lot of people very happy. “
The exterior of the EQS is broadly in line with its traditional S-class siblings but slightly more aggressive at the front of the vehicle. The special Edition One unveiled by the company uses a two-tone black and silver scheme throughout the vehicle.
The EQS is the first electric vehicle on the new Mercedes-Benz platform. It is also equipped with a new generation of batteries with significantly higher power consumption, intended to increase a single-charge range. The first models will offer up to 516 horsepower, 828 Nm of torque, and a cruising range of around 770 kilometers.
The car is equipped with a range of safety and convenience features, including a new driver assistance system that can control speed and braking and automatically switch between lanes or keep the car in a selected lane. However, this system is more dependent on the driver than the “autopilots” of Tesla and General Motors. The EQS will also include an augmented reality system that projects 3D graphics like navigation arrows onto the screen in front of the driver.
EQS is part of the Mercedes-Benz Ambition 2039 initiative, which envisions that by 2039 more than half of the company’s cars will be electrically powered – both hybrids and electric vehicles.
