The EQS is the first to use the new electric architecture for electric vehicles of the luxury and executive segment at Mercedes-Benz.
Further models based on the new architecture will follow soon. They include the EQE business saloon and the SUV variants of EQS and EQE.
At present, intensive test drives are being conducted mainly at the Test and Technology Centre in Immendingen just outside Stuttgart to validate the production maturity.
Christoph Starzynski, vice-president electric vehicle architecture at Mercedes-Benz and responsible for the EQ vehicles.
In the compact class, production of the EQA, the fully electric brother of the GLA, will start later this year, followed by the EQB in 2021.
The new generation of electric vehicles in the luxury and executive segment is based on a custom-developed architecture, which is scalable and can be used across model series. The wheelbase and track as well as all other system components, especially the batteries, are variable thanks to the modular design.
In other words, this vehicle architecture makes it possible to build Mercedes-Benz electric cars from saloons to large SUVs.
The EQS will allow customers in the luxury segment to fully benefit from all the advantages of an all-electric architecture with respect to space and design. With ranges of up to 700km (according to WLTP), the EQS meets the requirements of a modern in the S-Class segment in this respect as well.
Mercedes-Benz will continue with its recipe for success in production, and designs its vehicles and factories to be able to build different models flexibly on the same production lines.
The EQS will be produced together with the S-Class in "Factory 56" in Sindelfingen, one of the world's most modern car factories.
The electric vehicles also use cross-sectoral technologies from Mercedes-Benz such as, for example, the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) control and display system or the driving assistance systems.
The Vision EQS concept car provided pointers to the design of the coming EQS in September 2019. The camouflaged prototypes undergoing testing are also foretelling key design features that are novel for the luxury segment such as the cab forward design or the coupé-like "one-bow" styling.
Further details of the design of the models EQS SUV, EQE and EQE SUV remain a secret to the public for the time being.
Mercedes-Benz will introduce the all-electric architecture in 2021. At the same time, the company will continue to electrify the most successful platforms. In addition to the EQC mid-size SUV (EQC 400 4MATIC) and the all-electric EQV people carrier (EQV 300), customers in the compact car segment can look forward to two all-electric SUVs, the EQA and EQB. Production of the EQA will start before the end of this year.
As part of its "Ambition 2039" initiative, Mercedes-Benz is working on offering a CO2-neutral new car fleet less than 20 years from now. The company wants electrically powered cars including all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to account for more than half of its sales by 2030.
