German luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has announced that it will launch its EQS luxury electric sedan in India in 2022. The brand stated that it would locally assemble the EQS similar to the S-class in order to keep costs low. Mercedes-Benz India has been actively investing its resources into locally assembling its Maybach and AMG brands at its Chakan Plant. Along with the new EQS, Mercedes-Benz India is also preparing to launch ten new cars in India in 2022.
2022 Mercedes EQS: Detailed Highlights
Being the brand’s first-ever, all-electric luxury limousine, the EQS features an aerodynamic design with a 0.23 Coefficient of Drag. Contrary to its ICE counterpart, the EQS benefits from being an EV as there’s no engine noise, which enhances the luxury quotient. The luxury sedan also features a longer wheelbase in comparison to the S-class, which provides more interior space for passengers. Mercedes-Benz has also ensured to revamp the interior of the EQS by offering a whole host of technological features.
This includes the new ‘Hyperscreen’, which consists of three interlinked screens that cover the length of the dashboard. However, Mercedes-Benz has not confirmed which version of the EQS the brand will bring to India in 2022. The automaker offers the EQS in 2 versions, the 450+ and 580, which use the same 107.8 kWh battery. The EV comes with a claimed range of 770 Km for both versions, the 450+ produces 334 PS whereas the 580 produces 523 PS.
Reasons for local assembling the EQS
Mercedes-Benz aims to introduce the locally assembled EQS in India to showcase its commitment towards EVs and reduce overall costs. However, the brand understands that it needs to upgrade its Chakan Plant in Maharashtra to accommodate the EQS’ electric powertrain. Mercedes-Benz India aims to train its staff for developing the unique powertrain as the EQS sports a bespoke platform.
The current crop of premium luxury EVs from Jaguar, Audi, and BMW in India are complete CBU imports. For this reason, Mercedes-Benz can claim the top spot amongst the competition, thanks to locally assembling its upcoming vehicles. Currently, Mercedes-Benz sells the EQC as a CBU import in India but aims to launch locally-assembled EVs- EQS and EQE.
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