New all-electric Merc is S-Class act

Could this be the ultimate electric car? Mercedes’ flagship S-Class, the car beloved by world leaders and chauffeur driven celebs, has gone electric. 

As you’d expect from a car which will cost around £100,000, the new EQS saloon will be packed with tech, and has a longer range than any electric car currently on sale, with an official figure of 479 miles between charges.

Mercedes EQS Review

EQS has a 479 mile range and 200kW charge capability

This has been made possible by using a huge 107.8kWh (net) lithium ion battery and by making the bodywork super slippery, so it has less wind resistance at speed. In fact, the EQS is the most aerodynamic production car in the world. 

When it comes to charge, the EQS can accept up to 200 kW at rapid charging stations. This allows the owner to add 188 miles of range in just 15 minutes. This is marginally slower than the maximum charge capacity of the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, though.​

The EQS is packed with interesting tech and will even open the door for you

​Mercedes doesn’t seem to be chasing after the ultimate performance either. The EQS 450+ version has a relatively modest 329bhp, which is far less than cars like the Polestar 2. This gives a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds, which is fast enough for most people but noticeably slower than the Tesla Model S and Taycan. A faster, four-wheel drive version is available in other markets but isn’t planned for the UK.

If the EQS car comes up when you're playing electric car Top Trumps, don't choose the 0-62 time

The rest of the car promised to be class-leading in terms of technology and luxury though. One of the most interesting features is automatic comfort doors. When the driver approaches the car, the door handles extend. As they approach further, the driver's door opens automatically. The car’s headlights are also able to project warning symbols onto the road in front of the car to warn other road users. 

The EQS will go on sale in the summer of 2021. Models with smaller batteries and a faster AMG model are expected to follow.

The EQS is more spacious than an S-Class inside