What Does EQS Mean On Mercedes Cars?

There's a reason Mercedes-Benz is adored by consumers as a brand. Its cars often feature sleek and sufficiently graceful bodies along with exquisitely appointed interiors crafted with care and attention to detail, and innovative engines that deliver impressive performance figures. These qualities are even more evident in the now familiar Mercedes-Benz EQS models. The first use of the EQS name was applied to the EQS sedan, which initially hit the streets back in 2021 as Mercedes' flagship all-electric sedan. Later, in 2022, the EQS name was again used on the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, a jacked-up version of the EQS sedan. 

Both models are part of the Mercedes-EQ range of electric vehicles and offer more than 300 miles of range between charges, which is likely to appeal to buyers. But before taking the plunge, it's natural to wonder what the acronym EQS stands for. The EQ part of the EQS designation on the Mercedes car means "Electric Intelligence," which Mercedes says combines its values of "Emotion" and "Intelligence." As for the letter S, it means Sonderklasse, German for "special class," or simply "special," as it's called nowadays. The letter S denotes the EQS sedan and EQS SUV as both flagship electric car and flagship electric SUV, much in the same way that it does for the gasoline-powered S-Class and GLS. 

The EQS Sedan is priced between $105,550 and $148,700 (including a $1,150 destination charge) before options and packages. According to the EPA, the luxury car achieves its maximum 390 miles of all-electric driving range in base-spec EQS 450+ Sedan guise, where a rear-mounted electric motor generates 355 total horsepower and 419 lb-ft of torque for a 0-60 time of 5.9 seconds.

The EQS 450 4Matic Sedan adds a second motor for all-wheel drive and a higher 590 lb-ft rating, making it half a second quicker, with 0-60 reached in 5.4 seconds. However, the driving range takes a hit, falling to 367 miles. Like the 450 4Matic, the EQS 580 4Matic Sedan uses a dual-motor setup, but it makes 536 hp and 633 lb-ft, which translates to a 0-60 time of 4.2 seconds. Despite this, it can travel as far as 371 miles on a single charge.

The range-topping AMG EQS Sedan, for its own part, is capable of 315 miles on a charge and can scoot to 60 mph in a pulse-quickening 3.4 seconds. That comes courtesy of two electric motors that combine to produce an astounding 649 hp and 700 lb-ft, or as much as 751 hp and 752 lb-ft while in Boost mode. Performance aside, the EQS Sedan comes pretty well loaded with equipment. The base 450+ model offers standard adaptive air suspension, rear-wheel steering, heated and ventilated front seats, augmented reality navigation, and a 56-inch MBUX Hyperscreen comprising three screens under one glass panel.

Compared to the Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan price, the EQS SUV starts slightly higher at $106,400 for the entry-level EQS 450+ SUV and tops out at $181,050 for the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV. As with the sedan, the SUV version with the longest range is the base-spec EQS 450+ SUV, which achieves up to 323 miles on a single charge. The Maybach EQS 680, meanwhile, has the shortest range of all Mercedes EQS SUV variants, at 302 miles.

Its dual-motor system generates 649 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. That sees it accelerate more quickly than the rest of the lineup, with 60 mph arriving in 4.1 seconds. If you can see parallels to the EQS Sedan's output, it's because the EQS SUVs all have the same powertrains as their sedan siblings and make similar power levels as a result. SlashGear's review of the EQS SUV found it's generously equipped, too.

Standard equipment on the cheapest model includes heated and ventilated front seats to wireless charging, a Burmester 15-speaker sound system, and a panoramic sunroof. In addition, there's useful space for cargo in five-seater versions. Keep all seats in place, and you get up to 31 cubic feet of space to work with behind the second row. If that's not enough, the second row can be folded down to free up additional space, and this raises the total volume up to a maximum of 74.2 cubic feet. If you opt for the three-row variant, cargo space shrinks to 7 cubic feet with all seats in use and 28 cubic feet with the third and second rows folded down.