2023 Mercedes EQS SUV Delivers the Goods—Electrically

• Mercedes continues its march into a zero-emissions future with the addition of the all-electric EQS SUV, on sale now.

• The three-row SUV rides on the same bespoke electric platform as the EQS sedan.

• Prices range from $105,550 to $133,350.

Mercedes-Benz continues its march toward carbon neutrality with this latest addition to the all-electric EQ family: the EQS SUV. It is big, it is loaded, and it is powered by nothing but electrons. The EQS is the latest step forward in what Mercedes promises will be “the next era of mobility.”

“We call it Ambition 2039—our strategy to create a carbon-neutral fleet of passenger vehicles across the globe within the next 20 years,” Mercedes says.

And there is no turning back.

“What I think we should be certain about is that we need to decarbonize,” says Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius in a satellite interview from Stuttgart recently. “So, if you're looking at all the scientific research, I speak from time to time to a fellow Swede named Johan Rochstrom who leads the Potsdam Institute (for Climate Impact Research in Germany. He’s also a professor in Earth System Science at the University of Potsdam).

“That is one of the leading climate research institutes in the world. He's one of the leading scientists. If you speak to a guy like that you take all the political noise out of the debate and you look at what's happening. It's very easy to come to the conclusion we need to do something.”

And that something is electric cars and SUVs. Mercedes has a first-class seat on the electric gravy train and it’s powering full-speed ahead.

“We have made a very clear decision as far as Mercedes-Benz is concerned,” Källenius says. “Once you have the sense of urgency, somebody has got to solve the problem. And where does the problem end? On the desk of our engineers.”

So far, those engineers have delivered the Mercedes EQS sedan and the smaller EQB SUV, both on the market now. The EQE sedan and SUV are coming. But herewith they deliver the newest entry, the EQS SUV.

“The SUV offers plenty of space, comfort and connectivity for up to seven passengers in its avant-garde, luxurious interior,” Mercedes touts. “Thanks to powerful electric motors, responsive 4Matic all-wheel drive and an intelligent OFFROAD driving mode, the EQS SUV is capable of tackling light terrain with ease.”

It is big—a feeling you can’t avoid once you crawl inside, but if you look at the specs it sits on the same 126.4-inch wheelbase as the EQS sedan. The front and rear overhangs are more abbreviated, so it’s actually a little shorter than the sedan overall (201.8 inches versus an even 207). Of course, it has more ground clearance, as much as 8¾ inches when you crank the adjustable air suspension to off-road and gain an extra inch.

And it can go off-road. You may be surprised how much you can accomplish in the dirt in one of these luxo-liners. Mercedes set up a steep off-highway loop in the mountains outside Denver for us, and it was really something to see the big brute crawl up some fairly steep dirt on its M&S tires and then use its optional 10 degrees of rear steer to wrangle through tight turns. The turning radius is 39 feet with the stock four degrees of rear steer and 36.4 feet with optional ten degrees.