The Indian automobile industry is among the busiest and largest in the world. The diverse nature is usually apparent on the road, with low cost hatchbacks compete for space with crore plus SUVs and sedans. Infact, earlier this week, we told you about the launch of the most affordable electric car in the form of the Tata Tiago EV and now, Mercedes-Benz has sent a (electric!) shock wave with what is the longest range luxury EV in the country. Say hello to the EQS 580 4Matic. Priced at Rs 1.55 crore (ex-showroom, before options tick in), this luxury limo can go as long as 857km on a single charge, while keeping you cocooned in a typical German cabin. It is made in India, enjoys GST benefits and bookings are now open at, wait a minute, Rs 25 lakh!
This is not the first but the third electric offering from the house of Mercedes-Benz. Their first EV was the EQC, followed by the super quick EQS 53 AMG. The EQS 580 is imported as knocked down kits and assembled here in India. Because of this, it enjoys a lot of tax benefits, thereby bringing its price down to that of the S Class. Well almost! We will be driving the EQS 580 over the weekend and will bring you our thoughts around it next week. Do note that at a certified 857km, it is the longest range EV to be sold in India. For numbers, this means you do a round trip to Ajmer from Delhi or to Surat from Pune without having a need to top up the batteries. Epic!
Due to the heavy battery pack, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 tips the scales at a porky 2585 kg. However, it also comes with an extremely low drag co-efficient of 0.2 Cd. Inspite of its limo length, thanks to rear wheel steering, the EQS can take on tight turns with relative ease. But what matters here is the heart – there are two electric motors in and these send out 523 bhp of power and 856 Nm of torque to all the four wheels. The result is a 4.3 sec time for the 0-100 km/h. Top speed is limited to 210 km/h. The motors get their power from a huge 107.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that takes about 10 hours for a full charge from your normal 240 volt house wall charger.
While we can’t wait to get you our driving review of the EQS, let us quickly mention a few more pointers. Bookings are now open for a token amount of Rs 25 lakh. Step inside and the ultra huge 56-inch MBUX Hyperscreen. There are not two but three screens in here – one each for the instrument cluster, central infotainment screen and front passenger display. Owners will get the safety of nine airbags and other aids like camera-based lane departure assist and a 360-degree camera. Stay tuned as we get your our experience soon. If you can’t wait too much, do head over to our Youtube Channel for the EQC review!
