Almost every major automaker is in the process of moving from a lineup of gas-powered cars to a lineup of electric cars. Mercedes-Benz has taken perhaps the least surprising approach to that project. The German company has begun designing an electric equivalent of most of its gasoline-powered cars. It will sell the two side-by-side as countries work on building an infrastructure to support electric vehicles (EVs), with a goal of eventually selling only electric cars in every market that makes that possible.
In another purely logical move, Mercedes started at the top, building the 2022 EQS – an all-electric counterpart to its flagship S-Class sedan. Then it surprised us. With pricing.
The EQS is less expensive than the S-Class.
More Than $7,000 Cheaper Than Gasoline Equivalent
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS will arrive in dealerships this fall, with a starting price of $102,310 (plus a $1,050 destination fee). The least-expensive S-Class, the S 500 4Matic, starts at $109,800.
For its lower price, the EQS comes with a single 329-horsepower electric motor mated to the rear axle. The S500 has more power, getting 429 horsepower from its standard V6. But electric cars are known for their instant torque. It may well make the EQS feel more athletic in around-town driving.
The electric version also comes standard with 10 degrees of steering from the rear axle. Buyers can pay extra to download software that will unlock a sharper angle, even years after buying the car.
Learn more: Electric Vehicles: Your Guide to Everything Electric
A Step Up Gets You An Enormous Screen and A Nice Nap
Many buyers, however, may step up to a more luxurious EQS. Stepping up to the EQS 580 4Matic in Premium trim gets you Mercedes’ cabin-spanning Hyperscreen, 560 horsepower, and all-wheel drive courtesy of a second motor mounted to the front axle.
The most expensive version of the EQS announced so far is the EQS 580 4Matic in Pinnacle trim. It comes with every available luxury, including an air filter system that offers up a medley of scents and a nap mode that (while parked) will lull the driver to sleep with gentle sounds and wake them with a seat massage. It starts at $125,310.
A high-performance AMG version is expected soon.
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