Mercedes-Benz recently invited me to attend the Festival of Motoring. Because why exactly? To witness an aggressive unveiling of their EQ lineup. By the time it came to flying back home I’d driven two of their electrified SUVs on the hallowed asphalt of Kyalami race circuit, as well as pawed and prodded at a pair of EQS saloons, one of them gifted with some very provocative AMG nomenclature. Exciting!
Some very special electric metal
I love a good EV, and as a raging nerd enjoy the technology that accompanies it. I’ve driven premium offerings from the other Teutons with skin in the game ala BMW and Audi. There’s a lot to be said about what defines an EV in terms of driving feel since the characteristics that previously defined these marque’s are no longer valid. Inline sixes, raspy V8s and lively rear or all-wheel drivetrains are all null and void. There is no noise to speak of save for road and tyre, so manufacturers must eek out the best range figures possible, and package their whips in the most striking ways. And that often means an exquisite cabin ensconced in a seductive shape. Across the EQ range then, Mercedes-Benz are two for two.
I managed to drive an EQA and EQC, which begs the question, what the hell is an EQA and EQC? Well, it’s that time of the year again when we need to re-demystify the badges on the bums of cars. So listen up because it’s actually quite simple. An A-Class is small, a B-Class is bigger and a C-Class bigger still. Prefix any of those with a ‘GL’ and you’ll essentially get the SUV equivalent, so a GLA is the SUV equivalent of the hatchback, and ergo is the smallest. With that refresher out the way, I invite you to substitute that GL with EQ and now you have the electrified version of that. Hence, the EQA is a compact E-SUV and the EQC is two sizes bigger. An EQS therefore is an electric S-Class but perhaps I’m oversimplifying what is in this digital age, the flagship of Mercedes-Benz. And that’s the company that founded the ‘motor’ car, almost 150 years ago. And it’s the car I want to talk about the most. So let me get the track experience out of the way by saying that with the EQA and EQC, Mercedes-Benz have two strong rivals to the likes of the Audi e-tron and BMW iX models, with excellent range and solid handling dynamics. Their styling is non-offensive, safe and neatly in line with the rest of their siblings. And if Mzansi is indeed on the cusp of a mild EV revolution (logistics pending), then Merc will be a contender. But, then there’s that EQS.
There was a pair of them, the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4-matic, and a lesser 450+. It is the most aerodynamic car in the world with a drag coefficient of just cd 0.20 which can only help the distance/range. Which is excellent, at 586km in the 484kW AMG, also blessed with 960Nm and a 0-100kph sprint of just 3.8 seconds. The 450+ will cover 782km, has 245kW/565Nm and a 0-100kph of 6.2 seconds. Both employ 107.8kwh batteries, are produced via a carbon neutral footprint and feature recycled materials in their construction. Which reeks of high quality.
They come with 8-year battery warranties, plus a 5yr/100,000km service plan, and Mercedes-Benz includes a free wall charger installation. And I want to drive one so badly, but alas will have to wait just like you. Merc also sell the EQB SUV, and within the next 6 months will add an EQE (think electric E-Class) to their lineup and eventually, the highly seductive EQX sports machine. So, there’s plenty of reasons to be thrilled.
Pricing:
Mercedes-Benz EQA 250: R1,169,500
Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 4M: R1,374,500
Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 4M: R1,169,000
Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ 4M: R2,615,700
Mercedes-Benz EQS 53 4M: R3,410,100