Mercedes-Maybach trumpets electric era with EQS SUV
By BLOOMBERG | 18 April 2023SHANGHAI: Mercedes-Benz AG is unveiling the Maybach EQS SUV, the ultra-luxury brand’s first battery model, picking Shanghai to impress deep-pocketed buyers in China that have pushed sales to a record.
The vehicle, able to drive 600km on a single charge, will be priced roughly at US$200,000 (RM885,000) in line with other Maybach models. Features include massage chairs for both front and rear passengers and generous screens.
"The Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV unites our ambition to lead in digital and electric with our focus on the luxury segment,” Mercedes Chief Executive Officer Ola Källenius said in a statement.
The model will support Mercedes’s push into making more vehicles at the top end of its luxury offering as the German automaker eyes solid results even in a downturn. Last year, Mercedes-Maybach sales jumped 37% to a record 22,600 vehicles. Demand in China was especially strong, where more than 1,100 cars left showrooms a month.
The vehicle is based on the same underpinnings as its Mercedes EQS SUV sibling and offers a cocoon-like experience in the rear seats, especially important to buyers in China that are mostly driven by chauffeurs. On request, the back seat center console can include two folding tables, a cooling compartment and silver-plated champagne goblets.
German carmakers have been fighting competition from local EV makers in China with BYD Co. set to overtake Volkswagen AG this year as the country’s top vehicle maker. Mercedes, VW as well as BMW AG are heavily reliant on China, the biggest market for all three.
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Autos Mercedes-Benz
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