Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs Mercedes-Benz EQS

After a couple of false starts, Mercedes-Benz is finally getting serious about electric cars for the United States market. And it’s starting from the top.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan is billed by the German automaker as the electric equivalent of its flagship S-Class sedan. The EQS will itself become the flagship for a line of EQ-badged electric vehicles, which will include an EQS SUV, an EQE sedan and SUV, and a smaller EQB model. For now, the EQS sets the tone for the Mercedes EV lineup.

With sleek, aerodynamic styling and an elaborate infotainment system, the Mercedes EQS certainly makes a strong first impression. It also feels more luxurious than other similarly priced electric sedans such as the Audi e-Tron GT, Porsche Taycan, and Tesla Model S. The Lucid Air is shaping up to be a potential rival as well, but it’s only just starting production.

At launch, the 2022 EQS lineup includes the base, single-motor EQS 450+ and the dual-motor EQS 580 4MATIC, both of which are available in Premium, Exclusive, and Pinnacle trim levels. We got to try out a mix of EQS models over two days of driving in EV-friendly California.