Continuing our overview of the all-electric vehicles available in the United States, let's take a look at the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan.
The are currently four versions of the Mercedes-Benz EQS on the market, including the entry-level EQS 450+ (rear-wheel drive), the new EQS 450 4Matic (all-wheel drive), EQS 580 4Matic (also AWD), and the performance-oriented AMG EQS 4Matic+.
The 2023 model year is slightly more expensive than the 2022 model year and starts at an MSRP of $104,400 in the case of the EQS 450+ (up $2,090 from $102,310). On top of that is the destination charge of $1,150 (up to $100).
The all-wheel drive version is $3,000 more expensive ($107,400), while the top-of-the-line regular EQS 580 4Matic is priced at $125,950. The AMG EQS 4Matic+ starts at $147,550, so that's a pretty significant difference.
Due to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), none of the Mercedes-Benz EQS qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit, as it's way above the price cap of $55,000 and an imported model. As a result, the effective cost increase of the EQS 450+ is nearly $10,000, compared to the 2022 model year. The EQS 580 4Matic is $14,440 (or 13 percent) more expensive.
Prices
| Model | Base Price | Dest. Charge | Tax Credit | Effective Price |
| 2023 Mercedes EQS 450+ (RWD; 20-inch) | $104,400 | +$1,150 | N/A | $105,550 |
| 2023 Mercedes EQS 450 4Matic (AWD; 20-inch) | $107,400 | +$1,150 | N/A | $108,550 |
| 2023 Mercedes EQS 580 4Matic (AWD; 21-inch) | $125,950 | +$1,150 | N/A | $127,100 |
| 2023 Mercedes AMG EQS 4Matic+ (AWD; 21-inch) | $147,550 | +$1,150 | N/A | $148,700 |
It will be interesting to see whether the higher prices affect the EQS sales. In the first quarter of 2023, more than 2,000 units were sold (on par with the previous year). For reference, the company sold slightly over 3,000 S-Class (ICE) cars, which means that there is still a lot of potential for further growth.
Basic specs
All of the Mercedes-Benz EQS versions are equipped with a 108.4-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery.
The manufacturer says that the EPA range of the EQS varies between 277 miles (the AMG EQS 4Matic+) and 350 miles (EQS 450+), although InsideEVs' 70 miles per hour test revealed that the 2022 EQS 450+ was able to achieve 395 miles on a charge. That's 45 miles or almost 13 percent more than the EPA rating. However, if we dig a little deeper in the EPA documents, it turns out that the rating was voluntarily lowered from 355 miles (so the difference would be 40 miles), and the car was rated for the 2-cycle test (ranges often happen to be higher in the 5-cycle test). In other words, those ratings might be very conservative.
| Model | Drive | Battery (kWh) | EPA Range | 0-60 mph (sec) | Top Speed |
| 2023 Mercedes EQS 450+ (RWD; 20-inch) | RWD | 108.4 | 350 mi* (563 km) | 5.9 | 130 mph (209 km/h) |
| 2023 Mercedes EQS 450 4Matic (AWD; 20-inch) | AWD | 108.4 | 340 mi (547 km) | 5.3 | 130 mph (209 km/h) |
| 2023 Mercedes EQS 580 4Matic (AWD; 21-inch) | AWD | 108.4 | 340 mi* (547 km) | 4.1 | 130 mph (209 km/h) |
| 2023 Mercedes AMG EQS 4Matic+ (AWD; 21-inch) | AWD | 108.4 | 277 mi* (446 km) | 3.4 | 155 mph (249 km/h) |
* estimated/unofficial values
The peak power output of the EQS 450+ is about 245 kilowatts (kW). The EQS 4Matic has 265 kW and a dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain, which results in quicker acceleration (0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds).
The EQS 580 4Matic (AWD) has even more power - 385 kW and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds, while the performance-oriented AMG EQS 4Matic+ with 560 kW of peak power (boost), can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds.
An interesting thing is that earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz introduced a new performance acceleration on-demand upgrade, as a subscription service, which improves the acceleration of the EQS 450 4Matic, EQS 450 4Matic SUV, EQE 350 4Matic, EQE SUV 4Matic SUV.
In the case of the EQS 450 4Matic, the 0-60 mph time is reduced by 0.8 seconds from 5.3 to 4.5, at an expense of $90/month, $900/year, or $2,950 for a lifetime of the vehicle.
EPA Range and Efficiency
The 2023 Mercedes EQS 450 4Matic (AWD; 20-inch wheels) was recently listed on the EPA website, although the other three versions currently have only the 2022 model year ratings (we guess that they will remain the same in the case of the 2023 model year).
The energy consumption of the 2023 Mercedes EQS 450 4Matic, including charging losses, is 103 MPGe: 327 watt-hours per mile (203 Wh/km). Thanks to outstanding aerodynamics, energy consumption is even slightly slower in the EPA Highway cycle (105 MPGe).
2023 Mercedes EQS 450 4Matic (AWD; 20-inch)
|
2023 Mercedes EQS 450 4Matic (AWD; 20-inch) :: EPA Range rating by InsideEVs [Electric Vehicle 2-cycle label] | |
|
Combined City Highway |
340 miles (547 km) 328.2 miles (528.1 km) 354.4 miles (570.2 km) |
| EPA Energy consumption (including charging losses): | |
|
Combined City Highway |
103 MPGe: 327 Wh/mi (203 Wh/km) 101 MPGe: 334 Wh/mi (207 Wh/km) 105 MPGe: 321 Wh/mi (199 Wh/km) |
Charging
All of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS versions are equipped with a 9.6-kW onboard charger, which is promised to recharge the battery from 10 to 100 percent of state-of-charge (SOC) in 11.5 hours.
In terms of DC fast charging, 10-80 percent SOC recharge is possible in 31 minutes at up to 200 kilowatts of power. Our analysis in 2021 revealed that it's one of the best results on the market.
In the next post, we will take a look at the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV model.
