- The Mercedes EQS will likely be changed by a extra conventional-looking electrical S-Class.
- The electrical S-Class will look similar to the combustion mannequin, however they are going to be constructed on totally different platforms.
Mercedes wished to have two separate lineups of electrical and combustion automobiles. Nonetheless, it appears that evidently the producer might be backtracking on this technique and different EV rollout plans most likely as a result of unsatisfactory gross sales numbers.
The EQS flagship electrical sedan has been criticized for its uncommon exterior, which appears to be hurting gross sales. Perhaps that’s why Mercedes tried to make it look a bit extra standard with its mid-lifecycle refresh.
The producer payments it as an electrical equal to the S-Class, but it surely’s clearly not being perceived as such by its potential patrons. If they need an electrical S-Class, they’ll simply get one in plug-in hybrid guise or they take a look at different upmarket EVs—they don’t appear significantly fascinated by the EQS (pictured), whose gross sales figures depart lots to be desired.
Mercedes revealed in its Q2 U.S. gross sales report that mixed gross sales of the EQS sedan and EQS SUV have been down by 52% within the first half of 2024 in comparison with the earlier yr. The smaller EQE sedan and SUV duo carried out a bit higher and solely noticed a 4% gross sales drop year-over-year.
It’s not stunning that the EQS’ poor gross sales efficiency is making Mercedes rethink its preliminary plans for the mannequin. When it revealed the EQS in 2021, the producer stated that this mannequin’s second technology would utterly substitute the combustion-powered S-Class across the yr 2030.
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Autocar says Mercedes will drop the EQS mannequin and nameplate after the present mannequin is phased out. It’ll launch a substitute, but it surely gained’t be its personal mannequin just like the EQS, however fairly an electrical model of the next-generation S-Class, which is due across the finish of the last decade.
Apparently, despite the fact that each ICE and EV variants may have related interiors and exteriors, they are going to be constructed atop totally different platforms. The supply says the electrical mannequin will likely be underpinned by the massive model of the MB.EA platform, despite the fact that a earlier report introduced that Mercedes had stopped work on this new EV platform meant to function a substitute for EVA, which is what it makes use of within the EQS and EQE.
It will make sense for Mercedes to chop improvement on the brand new platform and attempt to enhance what it already has after it failed to fulfill its goal of promoting 20% electrical automobiles in 2023—it solely managed 11%, so it has absolutely reevaluated its EV technique going ahead.
The rumor that work on MB.EA had been stopped was denied by Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius.
He admitted that Mercedes despite the fact that the EQS was refreshed this yr, Mercedes intends to replace it once more subsequent yr and that it’ll characteristic an developed model of its EVA platform referred to as EVA2M, however he additionally stated the corporate was already planning out its future electrical mannequin lineup primarily based on the upcoming MB.EA structure.
Mercedes plans to make the EQS extra interesting with a significant technical replace deliberate to be unveiled someday across the center of subsequent yr. The massive change will likely be underneath the pores and skin with a swap from 400 volts to 800 volts (with tech borrowed from the upcoming electrical CLA), which is able to assist it drop its 10 to 80% charging time by 10 minutes.
It’ll additionally assist it enhance its vary, which, thanks partly to a revised battery chemistry, will rise by 37 miles to 535 miles WLTP within the longest-range mannequin. The mannequin will reportedly additionally get a two-speed gearbox like a Porsche Taycan to supply each improved acceleration and higher high-speed effectivity, in addition to a better high pace too (the present EQ S580 tops out at 130 mph).
Even ICE S-Class, obtainable as the succesful S580e plug-in hybrid with an EPA electrical vary of 46 miles, hasn’t been doing too nicely. Gross sales of the as soon as ubiquitous flagship sedan fell by 33% within the first half of 2024 in comparison with H1 2023. That is most likely influenced by the industrywide shift from sedans to SUVs and is confirmed by 22% higher gross sales for the GLS, the biggest and costliest Mercedes SUV.
Mercedes can also be giving the S-Class a significant overhaul subsequent yr, which is able to deliver extra energy and electrical vary within the plug-in hybrid fashions. It’s going to get a significant exterior redesign centered on what guarantees to be a really daring grille within the entrance, whereas the inside will obtain the 56-inch Hyperscreen comprised of three shows underneath a single huge pane of glass.
