J
James Brodie
Guest
This is our first look at the new Mercedes EQS SUV. The German brand’s upcoming flagship electric SUV will go on sale in 2022, sharing the same design language and technology as the EQS saloon, but rivalling the Tesla Model X with an imposing SUV stance.
Like the saloon, the Mercedes EQS SUV will have cab-forward styling. As there’s no engine and gearbox eating up space in the chassis, the brand’s engineers have pushed the windscreen towards the front wheels to make more space inside compared to the GLS SUV.
Underneath the cladding on the front, we also expect to find the same blanked-off black grille fitted to the EQS saloon, along with the same full-width daytime running light. The SUV’s headlights are a similar shape, too, albeit enlarged to suit the car’s more bulbous styling.
Compared to a conventional SUV such as the GLS, the EQS’s rear end looks a little unusual. It’s stretched out due to the cab-forward design, making the car look more like an estate in profile. This should liberate a little more legroom for rear-seat passengers and maximise boot space.
Mercedes’s design chief, Gordon Wagener recently discussed the EQS and upcoming EQE SUV’s design brief with Auto Express, saying: “They will look different in a similar way as I describe the EQS. They will be more seamless, more integrated, more aerodynamic, more futuristic looking, so it will be a new type of SUV.”
Mercedes EQS SUV
Mercedes EQS SUV - rear
Mercedes EQS SUV - side
Mercedes EQS SUV - interior
Mercedes EQS SUV - interior
Mercedes EQS SUV - front
These spies also offer a good look at the SUV’s cabin, which appears to feature the same 55.5-inch Hyperscreen infotainment system as the EQS saloon. The system comprises a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch central touchscreen and, hiding underneath the cladding, we expect there’s a third 12.3-inch unit for the passenger.
The EQS SUV should also adopt Mercedes’s Level 3 autonomous driving technology, which will allow the car to drive itself with limited driver supervision at speeds up to 37mph, when in slow-moving motorway traffic. The UK Government also recently legalised such systems for use on the road, meaning there’s no longer any road-blocks for British buyers.
Mercedes is yet to confirm any technical details about the EQS SUV, but we expect it’ll be available with a similar range of battery packs and electric motors as the saloon, given it will use the same platform - a brand new dedicated electric car platform called EVA.
The EQS saloon is available with either a 90kWh or 107.8kWh battery pack, the larger of which offers a maximum range of 478 miles. We expect the SUV’s less aerodynamic shape will make a dent in that figure, but a range of at least 400 miles should be achievable.
Mercedes EQS SUV
Mercedes EQS SUV - rear
Mercedes EQS SUV - side
Mercedes EQS SUV - interior
Mercedes EQS SUV - interior
Mercedes EQS SUV - front
Mercedes has confirmed specifications on two of the EQS saloon’s powertrains, called 450+ and 580 4MATIC. The first features a single electric motor mounted on the rear axle, which develops 329bhp and 569Nm of torque. The second features an electric motor on each axle which gives four-wheel drive and an output of 516bhp and 855Nm of torque.
However, Mercedes is working on an AMG-badged performance electric powertrain which develops 751bhp. The system will first appear on the EQS saloon, although it could easily be transplanted into the EQS SUV if it winds up being based on the same EVA underpinnings. There’s certainly a business case for a high-performance version of the EQS SUV, too, as Mercedes already makes a 603bhp AMG 63 version of the GLS.
Now read all the latest news about the upcoming Mercedes-AMG EQS 63 saloon here…
Continue reading...
Like the saloon, the Mercedes EQS SUV will have cab-forward styling. As there’s no engine and gearbox eating up space in the chassis, the brand’s engineers have pushed the windscreen towards the front wheels to make more space inside compared to the GLS SUV.
Underneath the cladding on the front, we also expect to find the same blanked-off black grille fitted to the EQS saloon, along with the same full-width daytime running light. The SUV’s headlights are a similar shape, too, albeit enlarged to suit the car’s more bulbous styling.
Compared to a conventional SUV such as the GLS, the EQS’s rear end looks a little unusual. It’s stretched out due to the cab-forward design, making the car look more like an estate in profile. This should liberate a little more legroom for rear-seat passengers and maximise boot space.
Mercedes’s design chief, Gordon Wagener recently discussed the EQS and upcoming EQE SUV’s design brief with Auto Express, saying: “They will look different in a similar way as I describe the EQS. They will be more seamless, more integrated, more aerodynamic, more futuristic looking, so it will be a new type of SUV.”
Mercedes EQS SUV
Mercedes EQS SUV - rear
Mercedes EQS SUV - side
Mercedes EQS SUV - interior
Mercedes EQS SUV - interior
Mercedes EQS SUV - front
These spies also offer a good look at the SUV’s cabin, which appears to feature the same 55.5-inch Hyperscreen infotainment system as the EQS saloon. The system comprises a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch central touchscreen and, hiding underneath the cladding, we expect there’s a third 12.3-inch unit for the passenger.
The EQS SUV should also adopt Mercedes’s Level 3 autonomous driving technology, which will allow the car to drive itself with limited driver supervision at speeds up to 37mph, when in slow-moving motorway traffic. The UK Government also recently legalised such systems for use on the road, meaning there’s no longer any road-blocks for British buyers.
Mercedes is yet to confirm any technical details about the EQS SUV, but we expect it’ll be available with a similar range of battery packs and electric motors as the saloon, given it will use the same platform - a brand new dedicated electric car platform called EVA.
The EQS saloon is available with either a 90kWh or 107.8kWh battery pack, the larger of which offers a maximum range of 478 miles. We expect the SUV’s less aerodynamic shape will make a dent in that figure, but a range of at least 400 miles should be achievable.
Mercedes EQS SUV
Mercedes EQS SUV - rear
Mercedes EQS SUV - side
Mercedes EQS SUV - interior
Mercedes EQS SUV - interior
Mercedes EQS SUV - front
Mercedes has confirmed specifications on two of the EQS saloon’s powertrains, called 450+ and 580 4MATIC. The first features a single electric motor mounted on the rear axle, which develops 329bhp and 569Nm of torque. The second features an electric motor on each axle which gives four-wheel drive and an output of 516bhp and 855Nm of torque.
However, Mercedes is working on an AMG-badged performance electric powertrain which develops 751bhp. The system will first appear on the EQS saloon, although it could easily be transplanted into the EQS SUV if it winds up being based on the same EVA underpinnings. There’s certainly a business case for a high-performance version of the EQS SUV, too, as Mercedes already makes a 603bhp AMG 63 version of the GLS.
Now read all the latest news about the upcoming Mercedes-AMG EQS 63 saloon here…
Continue reading...