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Mercedes-Benz rocked the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show on Tuesday when it revealed an exotic-looking, electric sedan concept called the Vision EQS.
Echoing a design seen first on the Mercedes-Benz EQC, the Vision EQS is our first look at a sedan that’ll likely become the electric EQ lineup’s flagship model. In this role, it’ll have to be the most advanced, most refined electric car Daimler is capable of offering, and the specifications released alongside the concept suggest it’ll be just that.
Using a battery with a capacity of about 100 kWh, Mercedes says the Vision EQS is capable of traveling up to 435 miles (WLTP, not NEDC) on a single charge, as propelled by a twin-motor all-wheel-drive system. Maximum system output totals 469 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of wheel torque, which Mercedes says is good enough for a zero to 60 in under 4.5 seconds, and a top speed of 124 miles per hour. Four-hundred and sixty-nine horsepower conveniently equate to 350 kilowatts, which happens to be the Vision EQS’s maximum charge rate—which hints its can recharge to 80 percent in under 20 minutes.
Like other modern Mercedes vehicles, the Vision EQS’s unibody is made from a combination of steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber, all used where appropriate. Recycled materials appear in both the chassis and the interior, which adheres to a theme of sustainability. All interior textiles are woven from recycled plastic, its Nappa-esque leather is artificial, and what little wood (maple) the cabin features is sourced from what Mercedes calls “ecologically managed German forests.”
As is now predictable for modern cars, the Vision EQS features more touch screens than anyone has use for. A pair of screens on the armrests flank the central infotainment unit, each curling up and away from their respective surfaces. It is through these that the Vision EQS can have its SAE Level 3-equivalent semi-automated highway driving systems activated, with the car operating the steering, throttle, and brakes of its own accord provided the driver remains ready at all times to retake control of the vehicle.
With a swap of the Vision EQS’s modular sensor package, Mercedes says, the car could eventually be capable of fully-automated driving, though it proposes no timeline on which this may occur.
When the Vision EQS matures into a series-produced vehicle, it will headline the ever-expanding “EQ” lineup of electric Benzes. At present, only the EQC crossover can be found in showrooms, though it will soon be joined by the smaller EQB crossover and EQV minivan. Trademark filings suggest that these three models will be joined by at least an additional two, named EQA and EQE respectively.
