Mercedes-Benz has a warning shot for Tesla: 435 miles. According to chairman Ola Källenius’ speech to Daimler shareholders in July, that’s the targeted range of the brand’s upcoming EQS electric sedan. The car rides on Mercedes’ new and bespoke EVA architecture, with the earlier concept packing a 100-kWh battery on board.
Right now, the best range you can get out of an electric car is the 2020 Tesla Model S Long Range Plus, with an EPA-rated 402 miles. If this 700 kilometer figure the Daimler head is claiming are accurate (bear in mind, these numbers are using the WLTP cycle, which typically returns a higher number than the EPA), then the brand’s flagship electric sedan will have the longest range of any EV on the market.
Källenius also said during that speech, “the EQS will set standards…the way we think about cars is changing.” Tesla, for its part, hasn’t been waiting around for the market to catch up in the range department, as the American electric automaker continues to get improved range through design and software improvements. The Model S has long been the yardstick for any competitors, so it’s crucial the EQS hit a range target in the 400-mile range to be competitive.
As for when the Mercedes-Benz EQS is coming and when it will go on sale, we don’t have exact dates yet. The car should debut by the end of this year, with sales slated to begin sometime in the first half of 2021. While some originally thought the EQS could replace the conventional S-Class, both will be sold side-by-side for the foreseeable future. Pricing is also anyone’s guess, though with EV pricing trends it will likely cost more than the equivalent S-Class.
