SUV delivers on promise of eye-watering price tag
They don’t come much bigger or better than this. And, few cost quite as much. The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 450+ which I have been testing is hardly likely to match the needs of many buyers, but it shows just what can be accomplished with the right budget.
Mercedes certainly have not been behind the curve in developing their EV range with new cars from the brand coming fast and furious. There is an example for all lovers of the brand and cars like the EQS SUV for the super wealthy. Based on the same profile of the EQS, this all-electric SUV – the biggest in the Mercedes range – is quite immense in terms of equipment, technology, luxury, and sheer size.
What this car offers above some of its immediate rivals in the same bracket is seven seats – two at the rear capable of carrying two adults. The front and rear seats are all electrically adjusted and clad in scrumptious beige leather under a panoramic sliding sunroof that makes the bright cabin a most opulent place to reside.
There are two variants of the EQS SUV – AMG Line and Electric Art – with all have the same starting price of €139,880. From there, customers can get different packages and that is what will dictate the final figure on the invoice.
The test car had optional extras package costing a further €6,158 making the car in the driveway coming in at a whopping €146,038. That’s not for the fainthearted or the average motorist’s pocket.
Powered by Mercedes-Benz’s own-manufactured batteries – offering ‘better charging’ performance and ‘significantly higher’ energy density – the EQS SUV has an operating range of up to 639 kms (WLTP) depending on equipment and configuration, and a power output of up to 400 kW.
Electrical consumption is 23-18.6kWh/100km (for the 450+); 24.3-20.2 kWh/100 km (for the 450 4MATIC); and 24-20kWh/100km (for the 580 4MATIC+). Also if you use fast-charging systems you can add an extra 250kms in just 15 minutes. I have tried and timed this, and it really works a treat.
What gives a car like this the right to be pitched at this kind of price is the what the manufacturer puts into it. Mercedes have spared nothing in trying to make its occupants mega-comfortable and their car ultra-efficient and while some might argue that this is way over the top, there is a worldwide market for supremely premium cars.
Now that these cars are part of the electric journey, they answer the call for more sustainable transport and there are clients here in Ireland too that would love to own one.
Pictured: The new EQ SUV from Mercedes Benz.