The all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS is chock full of luxury and tech features. Now we know it will be competitive with some of its six-figure rivals in regards to range, as the official estimates are finally in from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The agency says the rear-wheel-drive version should get around 350 miles on a full battery. Buyers of the all-wheel-drive version should expect a little less, around 340 miles. That’s roughly even with Tesla’s new triple-motor Model S Plaid, which the EPA says is good for about 348 miles on a full charge on 21-inch wheels. Tesla says the Model S Plaid on 19-inch wheels should get closer to 400 miles, but that claim hasn’t been evaluated by the EPA just yet. A dual-motor Long Range Model S is supposed to eclipse 400 miles, though that car has apparently been delayed in favor of the Plaid.
Audi’s E-Tron GT — which is built on the Porsche Taycan’s electric drivetrain — is likely to be rated for even less, somewhere in the mid-to-low 200-mile range. The only EV that easily eclipses the EQS’s range figures is the Lucid Air. That sedan received a whopping 520-mile rating from the EPA in September.
A big question with the EQS when it goes on sale in the US later this year will be whether buyers cross-shop against these other EVs or if they want a Mercedes-Benz and happen to choose electric. If it’s the latter, there’s an extra incentive in that the EQS’ starting price is actually less than that of the gas-powered S-Class it will probably one day supplant. While an extra 100-plus miles of range would always be nice, getting into the mid-300s should be plenty for most buyers’ daily and weekly needs.
