With the debut of the new all-electric Mercedes-Benz G580 “with EQ technology”, it is only a matter of time before the “EQ” name entirely disappears from the Mercedes-Benz lineup. And in a recent interview with Autocar, Mercedes-Benz CEO, Ola Källenius confirms that “there will be two S-Classes in the future – ICE and electric,” thus implying that the EQS name will be no more by the debut of the 8th-generation S-Class in 2030.
After debuting in 2021 as an electric-only model (separate from the S-Class), the Mercedes-Benz EQS will finally follow in the footsteps of the BMW i7 and the 7 Series with its name to be “merged” with its petrol-powered S-Class counterpart. However, as Autocar reports, the petrol-powered and the all-electric 8th-generation S-Class will be built on two different platforms, so we’ll probably see a similar setup that the new MINI Cooper has incorporated (with the J01 and the F66).
The upcoming “merger” of the EQS and the S-Class is likely due to low sales of both models globally. It has even been reported that Mercedes-Benz is slowing down the production of the petrol-powered S-Class for this reason alone (reduced to a single-shift operation at its factory in Germany). Reception for the Mercedes-Benz EQS has also not been encouraging to allow for the continuation of the model name.
With the 8th-generation S-Class set for a debut in 2030, both the EQS and S-Class (W223) will be given another update before the end of the decade. Mercedes-Benz is reportedly working on a heavy & comprehensive facelift of the S-Class. The company is also reportedly investing in the development of a new petrol engine.
In an earlier report, the Mercedes-Benz CEO was quoted as saying, “Our engines will always be at the very highest technological level. Otherwise, we would suddenly stall our combustion engine business in 2027/28.” As such, the company has spent “much more than it usually would” on a facelift of the upcoming petrol-powered facelift of the S-Class.
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The Mercedes-Benz EQS, on the other hand, has recently been given a facelift, with its new design now featuring the “gunsight” emblem on the hood, perhaps in tribute to the traditional “Avantgarde” look of the traditional Mercedes-Benz. The EQS also gets a larger 118-kWh battery which provides up to 822 km of range with this latest update.
However, another update will reportedly be done for the Mercedes-Benz EQS. Probably due in the middle of the decade, it will be built on a heavily modified version of the EVA2 platform that gets an 800 V architecture. Autocar’s insider source claims that it will be equipped with the same technology as the upcoming electric CLA (previously previewed as the CLA Concept).
In Malaysia, the Mercedes-Benz EQS was first introduced as the fully imported (CBU) EQS 450+ which has now been discontinued. It was succeeded by the locally assembled (CKD) Mercedes-Benz EQS 500 4MATIC which made history as the first Mercedes-Benz electric car to be made in Malaysia. The EQS in Malaysia is also available as a souped-up AMG version, called the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+.
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