The GLE, the GLS full size SUV, the C Class sedan, and the GLE Coupe are the four vehicles that are now produced at the Mercedes-Benz facility in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The majority of those automobiles are sent off to be sold in other countries. Now, that facility has started production of the SUV version of the new battery-electric automobile called the EQS. This vehicle will serve as the company’s standard bearer moving forward. According to a press release issued by Mercedes, the city of Tuscaloosa will serve as the exclusive location for the production of all EQS SUVs, including those destined for sale in other countries. In addition, beginning later on in 2018, the SUV version of the EQE sedan will be manufactured at the same factory as the sedan.
According to Jorg Burzer, who is in charge of production and the supply chain at Mercedes:
Our production network is very well positioned for the sustainable and rapid scaling of electric vehicle volumes. With the new EQS SUV joining our production portfolio of all electric Mercedes EQ models, we reached another important milestone in our strategy to go all electric by the end of the decade — wherever market conditions allow. I am absolutely sure that our great Tuscaloosa team will make the electric SUV another global success.
The Mercedes EVA2 electric vehicle platform has been used for the development of three different models, the most recent of which is the EQS SUV. Electrive claims that it measures 5.12 meters in length, which is ten centimeters less than the length of the EQS car. In addition, the SUV is taller than the car by 20 centimeters, measuring in at 1.72 meters. When the exterior mirrors are not there, the breadth measures around 1.95 meters. The EVA2 platform includes a 12-module battery that has 107.8 kWh of usable energy and has a wheelbase that measures 3.22 meters. This wheelbase is the same for both the EQS and the EQS SUV. The turning radius of the vehicle can be reduced from 12 meters to 11 meters with the addition of an optional rear wheel steering system.
The CCS standard specifies a limit of 500 amps on the amount of current that can flow through a system, however, the EVA2 platform employs an architecture that operates at 400 volts and has a charging capacity of 200 kW. The vehicle is equipped with an onboard AC charger with 11 kW of power. A 22 kW charger is available as an add-on for the car, however, it is uncertain whether or not it is also available for the SUV.
Mercedes sources the battery for the EQS SUV from its new battery factory, which debuted in March in the neighboring county of Bibb County, Alabama. At this facility, Mercedes assembles battery packs using purchased individual cells. Battery cells from Envision AESC, which will also be manufactured in the United States, will be used in the future versions of electric vehicles produced at the factory in the United States. The Mercedes-Benz GLS, which is the company’s largest SUV, serves as the foundation for the EQS SUV. The vehicle has the capability of seating seven people thanks to the availability of an optional third-row seat, and it also comes with the MBUX Hyperscreen, which is a three-screen system that combines under scratch-resistant glass to give the appearance of a single 56-inch broad display.
There will be three distinct iterations of the SUV. The base model of the EQS 450+ is only available with rear-wheel drive and comes with a single motor that is rated at 265 kW (335 hp). This is an increase of 20 horsepower over the base model of the EQS sedan, which will soon receive the up-rated motor. The EQS 450 4MATIC is equipped with two motors, yet it maintains the same overall power. The high-performance EQS 580 4MATIC is equipped with two motors that together provide a combined output of 400 kW (536 horsepower). Using the WLTP methodology, which is prevalent in Europe, its range is estimated to be 372 miles when the battery has been fully charged. The ratings from the EPA have not been made public yet.
Even though prices in the United States have not been disclosed, it is important to note that the dollar and the euro are getting very close to being equal. In Germany, the base price of the 450+ is €110,658.10, the base price of the 450 4MATIC is €114,446.10, and the base price of the EQS 580 4MATIC is €135,291.10. Even if none of these automobiles will be eligible for the new electric car incentives that were just passed into law in the United States earlier this month.
