Renewed Mercedes-Benz EQS gets huge 55-inch Hyperscreen and an equally monstrous range of 511 miles
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled an improved version of its luxury electric sedan, with more technology, greater range and the reintroduction of the star with the upright hood, all present in the upcoming EQS.
The model, which has come under scrutiny for its shocking residual values, has been given a new makeover to ensure it remains competitive, with the 55-inch MBUX Hyperscreen now standard across the range.
This gigantic infotainment system has three displays that flow seamlessly into the dashboard, giving the interior the look and feel of a NASA control room. On the outside, there’s a darker grille cover and reworked headlights, as well as the upright star emblem on the hood, which was known for going missing on classic Mercedes vehicles of the ’70s and ’80s.
Perhaps even more important for potential owners is the fact that new batteries have been installed, which are almost 10 kWh more than the previous 108.4 kWh packs, giving an additional range of 83 kilometers. Combine this with some aerodynamic tweaks to the bodywork and Merc thinks you can travel more than 500 miles before needing to plug in. That’s almost 100 miles more than the top-spec Tesla Model S.
Inside, the EQS is as opulent as it’s ever been, with things like chrome air vents, nappa leather cushions and the option of footrests and tilting massage seats in the rear. Oh, and you can enjoy Will.i.am’s MBUX Sound Drive app, which turns every EV journey into a DJ experience with the vehicle remixing popular songs.
But what about those resale values?
Residual values – or the rate at which a new car depreciates in value – have long been an issue dogging electric vehicles, especially those in the luxury car segment.
We’ve long commented on the used car bargains you can find when you search the internet for a low mileage Porsche Taycan, while Tesla’s penchant for slashing prices has seen the cost of used models fall dramatically . So much so that major rental companies, such as Hertz, are removing their operations Tesla from the fleetas the high maintenance costs and poor resale value are not good for business.
The Mercedes-Benz EQS was recently selected study in the US, which claimed that the vehicle lost almost half of its original value in a year. It seems harsh, but a quick search through Britain’s popular used car sales websites reveals that low-mileage 2022 models can be picked up for around £60,000 (about $75,000 / AU$115,500).
Pricing for the updated EQS has yet to be announced, but you can expect it to be around £120,000 (about $150,000 / AU$230,000). It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that this is probably not the most lucrative investment.