In a world where gadgets have now acquired wheels and motors, the EQS 580 4MATIC SUV is one such means of personal mobility that takes excess to the next level. We drove “the future of clean and sustainable luxury mobility” in Hyderabad. All three tonnes of it.
Brand value cannot be underestimated. Which is why this Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC SUV has a huge three-pointed star badge on the bonnet and a huge one front and centre on the grille, which is surrounded by 246 more, albeit much smaller, three-pointed stars, no less. Then there are the lower air-dam plastic covers where fog-lamps would otherwise be with even more little three-pointed stars. Right, then. Hey, Mercedes! What else can it be?
Hot on the heels of the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV flagship electric vehicle (EV) from the iconic marque comes this more accessible version with—Benz nomenclature. Yes, prevailing sentiment—and, perhaps, logic—has meant that the fourth suffix “Mercedes-EQ” was unceremoniously axed. The Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC SUV, then, is an electric, um, automobile which, like the 680, uses two motors, one each front and rear, for a more subdued total of 400 kW or 544 hp equivalent, with a prodigious AMG G 63-rivalling 858 Nm of torque. It also packs a 122-kWh battery pack, which is good for an indicated 800-kilometre range. But that also means it has an AMG G 63-eclipsing weight of 2,770 kilograms. That’s a whole lot of sustainability, yes. It does have some recycled material used for some trim elements, responsibly sourced material for the upholstery, and some reclaimed open-pore wood elements to make sure everybody in the green brigade is happy.
The styling is dominated by aerodynamics. How else can one shape nearly three tonnes of metal and material with essential sensors and a pedestrian-friendly bonnet into something that isn’t a moving air-dam? And they’ve succeeded. The thing moves—and very quickly. This shapely blob of new-age passenger vehicle can seat up to seven passengers, with a fair amount of space in the boot with all seats up. Being loaded with two e-motors means it has the pace to surprise. It has a power-to-weight ratio of 196 hp/tonne. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h takes just 4.7 seconds and it can get up to a top speed of 210 km/h—limited, yes, but by what? The tyres? The brakes? We’ll never know for sure the way all my questions were being dodged. But, yes, The EQS runs 21-inch wheels with 275/45 R21 rubber with “F1” in their name. So, yes, they’re constructed to deal with far greater loads in every sense.
A big three-tonne vehicle can’t be all that efficient but, with a massive 122-kWh battery pack—one kWh is one “unit” of electricity, so that’s 122 units; more than what an average household uses in an entire month or, maybe, even longer—it can travel for some distance. Interestingly, the listed battery capacity for the EQS 580 4MATIC SUV (and 450+, 450 4MATIC, 500 4MATIC, and Maybach EQS 680 SUV) is 118 kWh in Europe, the USA, and Australia/New Zealand, with a net usable 107.8-108.4 kWh. Only India, somehow, gets that little bit extra. The claimed minimum combined electric power consumption is about 4.37 km/kWh. We saw a best of 236 Wh/km or 4.23 km/kWh. Tracks, more or less. And equates to 516 km, before accounting for recuperation, which, again, is a huge variable entirely dependent on the location, conditions, and driving style. Gentle driving and more downhill equals more recuperation and vice-versa. Again, we saw the indicated maximum range fluctuate between 700 and 800 km.
There are three levels of recuperation available: essentially off, normal, and high. The EQS 580 4MATIC SUV spent almost all the time in the normal mode. The standard ride height of 163 mm isn’t much, but feels like just about enough to get into trouble over Hyderabad’s many speed humps. Aiding the drive are the drive modes. Apart from the usual suspects—Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Individual—there is also an “Offroad” mode which raises it by about 60 mm. This is supposed to be an SUV after all.
The highlight of the EQS 580 4MATIC SUV, without question, is the comfort. After all, there are several standards to be upheld and maintained for an automobile to be considered a Mercedes. This seven-seat version has two plush business-class seats up front, with heating, ventilation, and a selection of massage functions, including a few choices which, I think, women will appreciate far more than I did. The ride quality, too, is phenomenal. That’s the best aspect of an EV. The “clean” part may be entirely debatable but the quiet and calm that comes from being in one cannot be denied. The lack of powertrain noise, the sound insulation that Mercedes are famous for, and the supple and pliant ride of the very complex and heavy-duty suspension system all come together to create a truly luxurious ride; unless you don’t happen to be a petrol head and miss the characteristic engine note. The “580”, per convention, would point to a twin-turbo V8. While the banks of the battery cells and output may resemble its combustion counterpart, that’s where the similarities end.
