Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+.
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+.
Image: Supplied

Mercedes has been a little late to the electric car party, although it has offered electrified hybrid and plug-in hybrid models for some time. Now it’s busy charging up as it gets ready to introduce its EQ range to SA in the coming months. This means a veritable alphabet of electric models featuring the three-pointed star, including the EQA, EQB, EQC and EQE, as well as the luxurious EQS.

In the same way that the GLS is the SUV equivalent of the S-Class, there will be an EQS SUV, but for now it’s all about the sedan which glides into SA in the fourth quarter. Priced at R2,615,700 for the EQS 450+ and R3,410,100 for the AMG EQS 53 4Matic+, it will be the most luxurious electric vehicle available, unless BMW beats them to it with the new i7.

We had the chance to drive the EQS in the UK recently and what was immediately obvious is that it’s a complete tech fest. A number of years ago, Mercedes made the font on buttons in the S-Class larger, in recognition of its slightly older buyer profile. Clearly that’s all changed because the EQS is a gaming console on four wheels, not in the way we used to talk about the Nissan GTR, but because its huge 141cm wide glass MBUX Hyperscreen spans the entire width of the dashboard and most of the centre console.

You can have a more restrained standard centre screen, but it’s the Hyperscreen that grabs the attention and tests your tech skills regardless of your age. It looks ahead of its time, designed for an era of self-driving cars where you don’t have to worry about controlling that big round thing that makes the car go around corners. For some it epitomises peak screens, with many car designers saying we have gone too far and it’s time to rein them in, to return to creating elegant dashboard designs with discreetly hidden screen tech. You only have to look at the screen in the Mercedes Vision EQXX concept to know that Merc disagrees, but the fact is that screens like this won’t be to everyone’s taste.

The MBUX Hyperscreen spans the entire dashboard and could be the peak of screen technology.
The MBUX Hyperscreen spans the entire dashboard and could be the peak of screen technology.
Image: Mark Smyth

What will be though is the luxury, the effortless electric drive and the superb level of comfort. The design, too, is something very different, continuing the theme of the four-door coupe that Mercedes made popular with its CLS. It’s a curvaceous thing, sensual even in the way its lines flow, but at the same time it has an executive look about it. We’ve come a long way from the days when limo-like meant long and flat; today it’s all about the curves, although we still like the classical lines of rivals like the Audi A8 too.

Limo-like also means being able to power along in quiet comfort and the EQS is definitely up to the task there. We drove the 450+, which has 248kW and 568Nm of torque, all of which is available the instant you touch the accelerator thanks to the electric motor and a 107.8kWh battery pack. It’ll take 6.2 seconds to pull its 2,480kg weight to 100km/h but more importantly for most, Mercedes claims a range of up to 729km on a charge. It can charge at up to 200kW meaning it could top up from 10%-80% in just 31 minutes.

The EQS provides no-compromise luxury especially for those sat in the back.
The EQS provides no-compromise luxury especially for those sat in the back.
Image: Mark Smyth

It feels like driving on air, which technically it is thanks to its air suspension. Combine that soft ride with sitting in sumptuous Nappa leather upholstery and the whisper-quiet nature of the electric powertrain and the EQSbegins to redefine what luxury motoring is all about. Don’t expect the level of driver enjoyment you will get in a BMW, though — in all honesty, the driving experience is a bit unexciting and the brakes are unexpectedly soft, especially for an EV with regenerative braking.

If you’re fortunate to be travelling in the back seats then you have the option of the full S-Class style experience. Opt for the Rear Luxury Lounge pack and you’ll have reclining leather seats that massage you as you float along, a wireless phone charging pad and an Android tablet to check your emails or surf the net. It’s all rather lovely.

The four-door coupe-like profile is one that Mercedes made popular with its CLS.
The four-door coupe-like profile is one that Mercedes made popular with its CLS.
Image: Mark Smyth

That’s the thing about the EQS. Its styling won’t suit everyone, nor will its lack of driver enjoyment, but it excels at providing a smooth and elegant ride. It’s a car that will glide to the office or from one end of the country to the other in comfort, while your favourite tunes play out of the high-end Burmester audio system. This is a limo for the new age of executive motoring; one that doesn’t compromise luxury or the planet.

© Wanted 2024 - If you would like to reproduce this article please email us.
X