Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC flagship to offer 770km range, 385kW power

Following the recent reveal of the Mercedes Benz EQS interior, we now have a full suite of technical details for the S-Class segment EV from the German automaker. Set to arrive in three variants, the EQS sedan will be a technological tour-de-force based on the automaker's dedicated EV architecture dubbed EVA, with an aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.20cd (Tesla’s revised Model S promises a drag coefficient of 0.208cd), rear and all wheel drive options, sophisticated thermal management, and two battery options with net usable capacities of 90 kW and 107.8 kW. Let’s take a look at the range:

Mercedes Benz EQS 450+
- single permanent magnet synchronous motor, rear wheel drive
- 245 kW (333 PS) / 568 Nm (418 lb ft), WLTP combined energy consumption 20.4-15.7kWh/100 km, range not stated
- 90 kWh nickel, manganese cobalt (NMC) modular battery, pouch cell design with 400V architecture, 200 kW DC fast charging
Mercedes Benz EQS 580 4MATIC
- front and rear permanent magnet synchronous motors, all wheel drive
- 385 kW (523 PS) / 855 Nm (630 lb ft), WLTP combined energy consumption 21.8-17.4 kWh/100 km, range up to 770 km (478 miles)
- 107.8 kWh NMC modular battery, hard case cell design with 400V architecture, 200 kW DC fast charging

Is there anything special about the technology in the EQS?

In typical Mercedes Benz fashion, the press kit is a weighty tome. The largest battery available is a whopping 107.8 kWh, good for a claimed 770 kilometres (478 miles) of range on the WLTP combined cycle. Mercedes-Benz states the battery management system is designed for over the air updates, and that the batteries’ cell chemistry has been revised to reduce cobalt use, with the optimised active material constituting nickel, cobalt and manganese in a ratio of 8:1:1.

AC charging is available up to 22 kW, and DC charging can pump 200 kW into the EQS, good for 300 kilometres (186 miles) of charge in 15 minutes.

In terms of the drivetrain, Mercedes-Benz has worked with Bosch to develop synchronous motors for the EQS, unlike the asynchronous type found in the EQC. This means that the speed of the stator's magnetic field is equal to the motor's rotor speed, eliminating slip, and providing greater refinement, precision and efficiency. The motor on the rear axle features six-phase operation with two windings of three phases each, and stators with pull-in winding.

Mercedes-Benz claims a particularly strong magnetic field, improving energy efficiency, performance and reducing space in these new motors. The 4MATIC all wheel drive system continuously distributes the drive torques between the front and rear axles.

Braking recuperation is available, with drivers able to select from three stages. The recuperation output is up to 290 kW, with the ability to brake to a stop.

How smart is the EQS?

Tesla’s navigation route guidance has the ability to accurately calculate projected energy consumption versus real time consumption to your destination based on driving inputs, traffic and topography has always been considered industry leading. Mercedes-Benz will be introducing Navigation with Electric Intelligence on the EQS, which promises to calculate routes based on projected energy demand including topography of route, ambient temperature, energy consumers and more, as well as responding dynamically to congestion and changes in energy demand.

Mercedes-Benz promises smart navigation on the EQS.

Critically, the charging process must be simple for the EQS. Mercedes-Benz will be attempting to lure current S-Class owners into their flagship EV, and will also be looking to make conquest sales from the likes of Tesla, Porsche and BMW. It is critical that the charging process requires minimal effort for EQS owners, and Mercedes-Benz is promising a plug-and-charge service at European Ionity chargers where the vehicle and charger will automatically perform a handshake and sort out payment. It’s expected that United States EQS owners will have access to the Electrify America (EA) DC fast charging network, but it’s imperative that this flagship vehicle avoid charging issues seen by many on the Electrify America network.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS will be revealed in full on April 15.