Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 2023: release date and range confirmed for electric three-row SUV

---

Mercedes-Benz has globally unveiled the EQS SUV – an electric seven-seater confirmed to arrive in Australia during the first half of 2023.

The EQS SUV will provide a fully-electric equivalent to the GLS large SUV, and will be offered in both five- and seven-seat configurations to give it a considerable advantage over EV rivals such as the Audi E-tron and BMW iX SUVs.

The EQS SUV is the latest EV in Mercedes-Benz’s rapid expansion of its electric range, following the EQS and EQE luxury sedans, EQB midsize SUV, and EQA small SUV – all of which will be available in Australia.

What does the EQS SUV include?

Sharing an identical 3210mm wheelbase and similar exterior design cues to the EQS electric luxury sedan, the EQS features a vast array of features to make it worthy of the S-Class badge.

Compared to the GLS large SUV, the EQS SUV is slightly smaller in every dimension at 5125mm long (-94mm), 1959mm wide (-71mm) and 1718mm tall (-105mm), but it’s still an imposing vehicle.

While Mercedes-Benz is yet to confirm the exact specification for the Australian market, globally the EQS is offered with adaptive air suspension and rear-wheel steering as standard, along with cutting-edge technology such as over-the-air updates.

Separating the EQS SUV from its sedan namesake is the fitment of a ‘Trailer Manoeuvring Assist’ function that assists with steering when towing a trailer, as well as a dedicated ‘Offroad’ mode that raises the vehicle by 25mm and helps to reduce wheelspin on slippery terrain.

Mercedes-Benz will also offer its ‘MBUX Hyperscreen’ as an optional extra – a full-width display spanning the entire dash consisting of 12.3-inch touchscreens in front of the driver and front passenger, plus a 12.8-inch portrait screen in the dash centre.

Passengers in the second row can also benefit from the fitment of twin 11.6-inch screens and a 15-speaker Dolby Atmos sound system designed to create a 360-degree acoustic experience. 

In five-seat configuration, Mercedes claims the EQS SUV can fit up to four golf bags in the boot, courtesy of a 645-litre luggage capacity in the two-rows version. The seven-seat EQS SUV sees capacity reduced to 565-litres when the third-row seats are folded flat.

When all seats behind the front pair are folded flat, the five-seat has a capacity of 2100-litres while the seven-seater measures slightly less at 2020-litres.

EQS SUV range and charging

Mercedes-Benz offers a choice of three grades of the EQS SUV globally – the rear-driven EQS 450+ and the all-wheel-drive 450 4Matic and 580 4Matic.

The EQS 450+ has the longest range and can travel up to 660km on a single charge, whereas the AWD versions are limited to 613km, according to the more realistic WLTP testing protocols.

While the listed range of the EQS SUVs is greater than most electric vehicles, it’s a notable dip from the 770km benchmark set by the EQS luxury sedan.

All grades can charge at up to 200kW when using a DC fast charger, providing the ability to top up the 107.8 kWh lithium-ion battery from 10-80 percent in 31 minutes. Drivers can also use a three-phase 22kW AC charger to recharge the battery in around five hours.

 The EQS 450+ is fitted with a single electric motor on the rear axle producing 265kW of power and 568Nm of torque, while the dual-motor AWD EQS 450 4Matic and 580 4Matic grades produce 265kW/800Nm and 400kW/858Nm respectively.

Official pricing and specification details for the Australian market will be confirmed closer to the launch of the EQS SUV in the first half of 2023.