New Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV revealed as ultimate luxury electric car
The opulent Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is set to cost around £250k when it goes on sale towards the end of 2023
The first all-electric Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV has now been revealed at the 2023 Shanghai Auto Show, taking the storied luxury brand into a new segment alongside the existing combustion-powered S-Class saloon and GLS SUV. This full-size luxury all-electric SUV signals the brand’s intentions of portraying a more sustainable future, albeit in a package designed primarily for Chinese and American markets.
Under its opulent skin, the Maybach EQS SUV rides on the same EV2 platform as the other EQE and EQS models. Here, it’s fitted with a dual motor setup producing 649bhp and 950Nm of torque, the same setup as found in the EQS 53 saloon.
Power is drawn from a 107kWh (usable) lithium ion battery pack, which Mercedes claims will provide around 370 miles of range on the WLTP cycle. It’s capable of up to 200kW DC charging, adding up to 136 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Despite the high power and torque figures, Mercedes quotes a 0-62mph time of 4.4 seconds – a figure likely blunted by an as-yet unspecified weight figure that Mercedes insists is ‘under three tons’.
With luxury and refinement being a critical component of any luxury car, the all-electric powertrain has been further refined to ensure that the experience inside the cabin is as serene as possible. It’s done this by installing even more acoustic sound-deadening to the cabin, optimising the window and glass roof seams, and giving the powertrain a new ability to decouple its rear-mounted motor, further reducing vibrations and noise coming from the rear axle.
Being a flagship of the EQS SUV range, it also comes with Merc’s latest chassis technology. This includes a standard 4.5-degree or optional 10-degree rear-wheel steering system to aid manoeuvrability, as well as an adaptive air-suspension system with constantly variable dampers that comes with a unique calibration focusing on ultimate ride comfort.
Aesthetically, the Maybach EQS SUV incorporates many of the exterior design elements found on existing models, including an interpretation of the vertical strake grille design that’s been applied over top of the standard model’s plastic nose cone. It also features the option of dual-tone paint, and an extended use of polished brightwork found on the sills, tailgate and b-pillars. There are two wheel sizes available – 21- and 22-inch – each featuring a unique polished design specific to the Maybach.
Inside, the cabin will be familiar to any EQE or EQS models, with a standard-fit Hyperscreen dominating the interior design. Central to the display is a 17.7-inch central touchscreen, with a further passenger display and integrated driver’s information display all situated under the one seamless glass pane. What is unique to the Maybach, however, is the split interior that replaces the standard EQS SUV’s rear roller cover for a rigid parcel shelf designed to both isolate noise from the boot and create a more opulent rear seating experience. As with all Maybachs, the materials used inside the cabin are of an even higher quality than normal Mercedes models.
Pricing and local availability has not been revealed yet, but we expect it will cost around £250,000 when it does arrive later this year.
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