Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV Takes Ultra-Luxury Electric

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a new Mercedes-Maybach EQS concept, an opulent concept car that the company says is a preview of what the future of high-end electric cars may look like.

The company revealed the EV SUV at the IAA Mobility show, where it also announced a G-Class SUV concept, and a more attainable electric sedan.

When compared to the existing Maybach GLS, the EQS concept doesn’t look particularly outlandish. Mercedes says that the one-off vehicle is based on its modular electric architecture — the same that powers its upcoming EQS sedan.

The company says that the concept is meant to show off its vision for “a locally emission-free future,” without giving up the exclusivity and luxury that the Maybach name implies — Mercedes says the interior is supposed to remind you of a yacht, and the SUV has something called a “Chauffeur package.”

For the ultra-luxury segment Maybachs exist in, it wouldn’t hurt for a more ecologically friendly option to exist in the world. The gas-powered Maybach GLS has a thirsty 4L V8, which gets 15 MPG in the city and 19 on the highway, according to Edmunds.

While it’s still only a concept, Mercedes-Maybach is calling it “near-production.”

Philipp Schiemer, Head of Top End Vehicle Group at Mercedes-Benz AG and Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commented on the announcement:

“The Concept Mercedes-Maybach EQS represents the transformation of the tradition-rich luxury brand into a more progressive, all-electric future. Like every Maybach, it stands for Sophisticated Luxury in all its facets. The near-production concept car represents proof that state-of-the-art electric drive technology and pioneering infotainment with MBUX Hyperscreen combine perfectly with hallmark Maybach craftsmanship and an exquisite interior. This passionate combination of meticulously perfected details creates a unique automotive luxury experience. With the future all-electric SUV series model, we’re extending our leadership aspirations in the high-end segment to the area of electric mobility, too,”

The Concept Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV also has Tesla-like flush door handles that automatically extend when the driver approaches, and the driver's door automatically opens.

Inside, the SUV concept gets the same 56-inch MBUX Hyperscreen infotainment system used in the production EQS sedan. The massive expanse of screen is divided into a 17.7-inch central touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the front passenger. Rear-seat passengers also get their own entertainment system.

The EQS SUV is one of the first of a handful of SUVs Mercedes plans to build in the United States, with production scheduled to start in 2022. Expect the Maybach version to follow sometime after that.

Mercedes is also planning U.S. production of the EQE SUV, based on the EQE sedan that was also unveiled at the Munich show. They're among the 10 EVs Mercedes plans to launch globally by 2025.

The smaller EQC SUV was originally planned to be the first of the "EQ" models sold in the U.S., but Mercedes instead decided to bring out the EQS and EQE models first, followed by the EQB later in 2022.

September 12, 2021