The times when electric cars have a greater range than those with an internal combustion engine are here - the Mercedes EQS in the 450+ version has a range of ten kilometers more than the gasoline-powered S 450 4Matic with a full tank of fuel.
Mercedes-Benz has given its flagship electric sedan, the EQS, its most extensive technical overhaul to date, affecting more than a quarter of all vehicle components. The key innovation is the switch to an 800-volt architecture, which enables faster charging and greater efficiency. The EQS 450+, 500 and 580 models are equipped with a new 122 kWh battery, which uses an advanced mixture of silicon oxide and graphite. The result is an impressive range of up to 926 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle, which in theory means that you can travel from Ljubljana to Saint-Tropez without a single stop for charging. Well, at least in theory.
The technical updates continue in the drivetrain, where new in-house electric motors work together with a two-speed gearbox on the rear axle. First gear ensures lightning-fast acceleration from a standstill, while a long second gear optimises fuel consumption at motorway speeds. Engineers have also installed an optional steer-by-wire system, which removes the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels. The steering is fully electronic, which allows for better filtering of road vibrations and greater flexibility between sporty and comfortable driving modes, while safety is ensured by a duplicated signal path architecture.
The interior of the EQS is transformed into a true digital sanctuary with the arrival of the new MB.OS operating system. The standard MBUX Hyperscreen system extends over the entire dashboard, over 140 centimeters long, and rear passengers have their own screens with integrated support for video conferencing via the Microsoft Teams and Zoom applications. The new virtual assistant uses Microsoft's artificial intelligence for natural conversations, while heated seat belts (up to 44 °C) and a top-notch HEPA filter that removes almost all impurities from the air ensure physical comfort. Whether this filter will cope with a passenger who ate beans for lunch remains to be seen.
The exterior retains its record-breaking aerodynamic shape with a drag coefficient of 0,20, but it features new Digital Light headlights with micro-LED technology. These consume half as much energy while illuminating a 40% wider field, with the high beam reaching up to 600 meters. For the first time, Mercedes is also offering a leather-free interior, and the Manufaktur program offers a choice of 125 paint colors. The updated EQS shares the 800-volt platform with the CLA, which was crowned European Car of the Year 2026.
