Mercedes EQS review: range, battery & charging
Thanks to an enormous battery and aerodynamic design, the EQS boasts one of the longest ranges of any electric car
| Model | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| EQS 450+ | 408-452 miles | 17hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 32mins (10-80%, 200kW) |
| AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ | 318-348 miles | 17hrs 15mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 32mins (10-80%, 200kW) |
The Mercedes EQS is currently the longest-range electric car you can buy in the UK. While models with a smaller 90kWh battery are thought to be coming down the pipeline, for now, all models feature a huge 107.8kWh unit – one of the largest fitted to any production electric car. It’s more than four times the size of the unit fitted to an entry-level Fiat 500, but when you take into account the size of the Merc’s battery and the total range, it’s clear the EQS is far from the most efficient EV you can buy.
Mercedes EQS range
If maximum range on a charge is your single focus, then little comes close to the Mercedes EQS 450+ and its whopping 107.8kWh battery. In its most basic – but still extraordinarily well equipped – AMG Line guise, the flagship zero-emissions saloon posts an official range of up to 452 miles. That is more than the BMW i7’s 388-mile maximum range, and trumps the latest Tesla Model S Long Range which will only go 400 miles on a full charge.
Moving up through the range – and specifying larger wheels – will see your projected range fall. The EQS 450+ AMG Line Premium Plus, for example, will do 439 miles according to Mercedes – a dip of around 5%.
Luxury-spec cars, with their even larger 22-inch wheels are hit even harder. These models will return 409 miles on the WLTP test cycle, though Mercedes says that adding things like the Hyperscreen infotainment system and Rear Luxury Lounge package can shave another four miles from that total – presumably due to the added weight.
Upgrade to the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 model and that figure will drop even further – despite using the same 107.8kWh battery. That’s the compromise you’ll have to make for more than 750bhp and 1,020Nm of torque. It’s still an admirably capable long-distance car, however, claiming a range of 348 miles. Ironically, opting for the ‘Touring’ pack actually reduces the car’s range to 318 miles – presumably down to the larger wheels.
Charge time
Unsurprisingly, due to the gigantic battery, it takes a long time to recharge the EQS. Fully recharging from flat using an 11kW home wallbox (if your house has a three-phase supply) or public charging point will take just under 12 hours. However, the same top-up from a more common 7.4kW wallbox will take over 17 hours.
Thankfully, the EQS also boasts impressive rapid-charging capability, with a maximum speed of 200kW. That may not be as fast as the 800-volt-equipped Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, but it’s good enough to take any EQS from 10-80% capacity in just over half an hour via a 350kW ultra-rapid charge point.