The One Americans Will Buy: The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV

Enlarge / After the sedan came the SUV: the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV. Jonathan Gitlin

DENVER, Colo.—Mercedes-Benz doesn't really lag when it comes to new electric vehicles, all launching under the new Mercedes-EQ sub-brand. It electrified its popular small crossover, the GLB, to create the EQB, which does everything the gasoline car does, but much more efficiently. But it also built an all-new EV-specific platform called EVA2, for larger, more premium Mercedes EVs. The first of these hit the road last year, its flagship EQS sedan, followed by a slightly smaller and slightly cheaper version called the EQE sedan.

But big sedans don't sell like they used to, especially here in North America. No, Americans want SUVs, especially if they're looking for high luxury, as determined by the number of Mercedes GLSs I see when I visit California. Mercedes is wise in this regard, and EVA2 is designed to make SUVs and sedans, as is the case with the 2023 EQS SUV. In fact, Mercedes is so confident in the sales of the EQS SUV in the US market that it builds them in Alabama so they don't have to be imported.

Enlarge / The EQS SUV is 201.8 inches (5,126 mm) long, 77.1 inches (1,958 mm) wide and 67.6 inches (1,717 mm) high. Jonathan Gitlin

Mercedes' first large electric SUV is coming to America in three flavors, each with an identical usable battery capacity of 107.8 kWh. The $104,400 EQS 450+ SUV features a single rear-mounted, permanently excited synchronous motor, developing 355 hp (265 kW) and 419 lb-ft (568 Nm) of torque. It's also the longest running EQS SUV, using its 107.8 kWh to cover 305 miles (490 km) thanks to a very slippery drag coefficient - for an SUV - of just 0.26. Unfortunately, there were no such variants in Denver to take us to.

Next in line is the EQS 450 4matic SUV at $107,400, which equates to a $3,000 premium for a front motor, also a permanently excited synchronous motor, but with a clutch that allows it to disconnect from the front axle in certain drive modes, which increases efficiency. The EQS 450 4matic SUV generates the same 355 hp (265) kW as the rear-drive 450+ (so they have the same numerical designation), but the second motor boosts total torque to 590 lb-ft (800 Nm). Adding a second electric motor affects the range, however, reducing it from 20 miles to 285 miles (459 km).

Finally, there's the king of the hill: the $125,950 EQS 580 4matic SUV. Again an all-wheel-drive version with a permanently excited synchronous motor for each axle, this one comes with a hefty 536 hp (400 kW) and 633 lb-ft (858 Nm) but still achieves a range of 285 miles. like the little less 450 4matic.