MERCEDES-BENZ EQS

Stuttgart's top-rung electric limousine gets extra equipment and range

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The limousine class has long been something of a technological vanguard for the automotive industry, and in one respect in particular — when it comes to the provision of outright electric range in EVs - itis preserving that status.

Some of the competitors of the updated Mercedes-Benz EQS - the subject of this road test - really are pushing the envelope when it comes to squeezing mileage into a big four-door saloon. The UK market may still be waiting for right-hand-drive versions of them, but for the past two years the Lucid Air has been offering North American buyers a range in excess of 500 miles, while China's Nio ET7, with its 150kWh semi-solid-state battery, has become the first electric production car to be certified for more than 1000km (621 miles) of range ona single charge.

So there’s pressure on the likes of the EQS to keep up. Introduced in 2021, this was Stuttgart’s memorable bid to respond to the Tesla Model S and successfully electrify much of its S-Class customer base. It has thus far failed to do that, consistently being outsold by its more traditional sibling, with global demand for both cars slackening far enough for their shared production line at Sindelfingen to dial down output from two shifts a day to only one.

Stand by to find out just how Mercedes has sought to boost this electric saloon’s fortunes by bolstering its power reserves.

DESIGN & ENGINEERING

★★★★☆

PROS

Boosted range is welcome progress, even if it’s not much; Starship Enterprise looks certainly make a statement

CONS

Still as heavy as it is aerodynamic