Author: Rezz
In Mercedes’ product line, S and GLS represent the top level: one is a luxurious sedan, and the other is a large SUV. With the arrival of the era of electric vehicles, following the EQS, Mercedes has launched the EQS SUV in the EQ electric vehicle family. When two S’s come together, they are likely to achieve a synergistic effect greater than the sum of the parts. The EQS SUV is such a vehicle, combining the luxury heritage of the S, the pure electric technology of the EQS, and the practicality of the GLS.
In fact, Mercedes-Benz Group announced its plan to produce pure electric SUVs as early as October 2020, including the flagship model EQS SUV. Over the course of two years, SUV models such as the EQC, EQB, and EQA were successively launched for sale. After two years of speculation and spy photos circulating back and forth, Mercedes-Benz finally released its brand flagship pure electric SUV, the EQS SUV, in April 2022.
In the official release video, the grand and majestic silhouette of this SUV jumped out of the reflection on the water’s surface and appeared before everyone. Today, seeing the EQS SUV’s real car debut in China, we can feel its temperament, which is commensurate with its large SUV size.
In the Chinese market for mid- to large-sized luxury SUVs, most brands are of European origin (especially German brands). However, when we focus on new energy vehicle models, there seems to be only one car–Hongqi E-HS9.
But in the second half of the year, many foreign brands began to make a move in this niche market. Lotus launched its all-new pure electric SUV Eletre. In this price range, there is also the Geely-owned Polestar 3, both of which aim to compete with Mercedes EQS SUV. This also means that after the EQS SUV is introduced in China, there will be a very unique “shark effect.”## Armed to the Teeth with Black Technology
This pure electric SUV built on the EVA platform has a very similar exterior design and interior to the EQS. Although some people feel that the appearance of the EQS needs some time to adapt, it actually shows a more dignified and harmonious appearance on the EQS SUV.
There is no need to worry about the details inside and out, after all, this is a Mercedes-Benz, and the luxury it gives you is not to be missed. The exterior of the EQS SUV follows the design style of EQS, but the contour is still closer to the traditional fuel-powered Mercedes-Benz, not as avant-garde as EQS, but more like an EQS with an overall raised height.
Like EQS, owners cannot open the front hood by themselves, only professional maintenance personnel can open it. So, what secrets are hidden here?
As we all know, in traditional fuel-powered cars, most front compartments house the engine (front-engine layout), while Tesla pioneered the front storage compartment in electric car design. However, EQS SUV did not follow this trend, but relied on forward-looking R&D advantages to install a large HEPA filter (air purifier) under the front hood, with a size of 596 / 412 / 40 millimeters, in order to provide surgical-grade purified air for the car, as directly reflected on the air conditioning system display screen, PM2.5 concentration is reduced to the lowest level.
With a high level of filtration, it purifies the incoming air from the outside at an efficiency of over 99.75% for various particle sizes. Furthermore, there are 600 grams of activated carbon used to filter out odors, with an adsorption area equivalent to about 150 football fields.
In order to reduce low-frequency noise, many cavities inside the vehicle body are filled with foam materials, and the shapes of the door handles, windshield supports, and exterior rearview mirrors have been optimized to minimize the impact of air resistance on the vehicle’s endurance and sound insulation. To reduce high-frequency wind noise at high speeds, the sealing of all six side windows has been strengthened. As a result, the overall vehicle drag coefficient is 0.26cd, which is the same top-level as the BMW iX and the Lotus Eletre, and slightly better than the 0.29cd of the Polestar 3.
The EQS SUV is equipped with DIGITAL LIGHT digital headlights, with 1.3 million micro-lenses on each side of the headlights that can be independently controlled for refraction and guidance, effectively reducing glare for oncoming vehicles and achieving precise beam adjustment. The headlights can also project light language patterns on the ground to remind pedestrians on the road.
In terms of size, the length, width, and height are 5125mm / 1959mm / 1718mm, respectively, with a wheelbase of 3210mm, which is close to the EQS sedan. Thanks to its long and stretchy body, the EQS SUV looks more like a perfect combination of an SUV and a crossover.
From the side angle, it is apparent that the bow-shaped body of the current EQS is replaced by traditional body lines on this new EQS SUV, giving it a touch of maturity and steadiness because, after all, it is an SUV, and if it is too streamlined, it will undoubtedly sacrifice a lot of headroom.
Therefore, EQS SUV does not adopt frameless doors like EQS, but returns to tradition and looks more practical and robust overall.
EQS SUV is also equipped with binocular cameras, which have an overwhelming advantage in identifying pedestrians. Binocular cameras do not need to be modeled or recognized of objects, but instead calculate the distance based on the visual difference between the left and right eyes.
In my opinion, although the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is positioned as a large SUV, its overall design is actually between an SUV and a saloon, showing a rich cross-border atmosphere. At the same time, the AMG kit highlights its strong sense of sports, breaking people’s inherent impression of dignified and steady luxury flagship models.
Certainly, in addition to the distinctive design, the car’s pixel headlights, unique glass water filling port, and luminous hidden door handles are also quite interesting.
Understanding You Better than Anyone Else, Mercedes’ Cockpit
Mercedes’ latest MBUX 1.5 generation car system is equipped with an 8-core CPU and 24GB of memory, as well as an NVIDIA Xavier AI chip. The entire system can learn the driver’s driving habits, actively heat and cool seats, and offer AI assistance. These are the flagships that automaker Mercedes should have in this new era of electric vehicles.
In this flagship electric SUV that can “understand you in an instant,” Mercedes has once again invented many world-first new features for driving interaction. After all, every generation of Mercedes flagship models (such as the touch-sensitive steering wheel and rear seat airbags first appeared in the volume-produced Mercedes-Benz S-Class) has played the role of a pioneer, leading the development direction of future smart transportation.
In addition, the EQS SUV also has two HUDs to choose from. One is AR-HUD, with a focal length of 10m; the other is the basic HUD with a focal length of 4.5m. The image of the AR-HUD is equivalent to a 77-inch display, providing clearer content for driving assistance and real-world navigation information, enabling drivers to be more immersed in the environment in front of the car, reducing the frequency of drivers looking down at the screen.
It must be said that Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV’s interior design has a more luxurious atmosphere compared to other all-electric SUVs, especially the large-area ambiance lighting and the wood panel decorated with the three-pointed star emblem, which plays a role in highlighting the luxury. When lit up, it has a stunning visual effect. In addition, the car is equipped with a three-screen MUBX Hyperscreen system and a Dolby Atmos sound system, which displays the required technological atmosphere.
The energy density of the Mercedes-Benz battery is also excellent, and Mercedes-Benz’s liquid-integrated thermal management system and chassis cooling system allow the entire system to preheat and cool before driving or charging.
Of course, what sets the EQS SUV apart from the EQS sedan is its off-road and rough road capabilities. Equipped with powerful motors, 4MATIC all-wheel drive system, and intelligent “off-road” driving mode, when activated, it can increase the ground clearance of the EQS SUV by up to 25cm, making it easier to handle off-road terrains.
It is hard to imagine driving a million-dollar EQS sedan on rough roads, but the EQS SUV, upgraded with a new chassis and power tuning, is capable of some off-road driving, providing owners with more scenarios and boundaries for travel.
In conclusion
We know that the EQS SUV and the EQS are closely related, using the same EVA2 platform and incorporating Mercedes’ latest technology, and many of the details are also similar. At the product level, you can see that Mercedes-Benz has utilized all its core competencies.
From the product itself, luxury large and medium-sized pure electric SUVs are not widely seen in the market, and consumers with sufficient budgets have already become tired of models such as the Tesla Model X and the Audi E-tron. However, as more and more manufacturers want to redefine the class and appeal of brands in the era of electrification through flagship pure electric products, we are seeing brands such as Lotus, which is mainly known for mid-engine supercars, start building pure electric SUVs such as Eletre.
It is apparent that Mercedes-Benz Group has spared no expense this time. With a brand that has a century-long history and a solid foundation of funds, technological expertise and strong brand influence, Mercedes’ advantage lies in the current environment where oil prices soar, policies are supportive, and the new energy market is expanding rapidly. Alongside BMW, other traditional luxury powerhouses meet the opportunity for transformation. It is precisely in the next two years, as Mercedes is expected to make great progress in the new energy market, that it is likely to achieve good results.
Of course, in the increasingly competitive new energy vehicle market in China in 2022, having deep pockets is no longer enough to stand out. The technology and iteration ability of the internal combustion engine are no longer applicable to this market. Mercedes-Benz Group is left with a small question of how to continue to extend its sales and reputation to the new energy vehicle market.
Mercedes’ flagship products never disappoint, as shown by the recent electric car EQXX that boasts a range of over 1,200 kilometers, and the earlier AMG GT Black series, which broke the production car lap record on the Nurburgring North Loop, making the “black technology performance control” label gradually blend into the Mercedes brand. We look forward to the test driving experience of the flagship electric SUV from Mercedes in the near future.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.