Autoportal India

Though impressive, Mercedes’s grandest EV sedan might be too clever for its own good.

Perhaps Mercedes should rename its EQ subbrand IQ, because the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS580 feels as if it were developed to appeal to individuals with the emotional quotient of Mark Zuckerberg and the intelligence quotient of Albert Einstein.

Although its two electric motors (one at each axle) produce a healthy 516 horsepower, the all-wheel-drive EQS580 is an aloof machine that offers minimal engagement when driven vigorously. All of that grunt pushed the EQS580 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and rocketed it from 30 to 50 mph in 1.5 ticks. But a 489-hp Tesla Model S Long Range Plus hit these same marks in 3.5 and 1.4 seconds, respectively. Blame the 982 pounds of extra mass the Mercedes carries for its lesser straight-line performance.

HIGHS: Hyperscreen lives up to the hype, cavernous cargo hold, quiet cabin.

At 5806 pounds, the EQS’s near-G-class curb weight is an anchor on efficiency, which surely explains the jelly-bean styling that favors function over form. Though aesthetically unfortunate, the ’90s-era cab-forward look is a wise decision. It contributes to a coefficient of drag of 0.20 and helped the 580, with its 107.8-kWh battery pack, travel 350 miles on our 75-mph range test—one of few EVs that beat its EPA range. The shape also helps limit noise inside the cabin to 64 decibels during 70-mph cruising, the same level recorded in the S580.

Unfortunately, this battery-powered sedan lacks the cosseting rear seat of its gas-powered Benz kin. The plunging roofline limits headroom back there, a situation exacerbated by the fixed seatback’s upright angle. The EQS’s hatchback configuration, however, provides more cargo space than even the GLC-class SUV.

The driver and front passenger suffer from no such compromises on space or comfort. They also gaze at a massive infotainment system that houses three separate display screens under a 56.0-inch glass panel. Dubbed the Hyperscreen, the setup smartly incorporates high-resolution graphics and reacts quickly to inputs (by touch or via the car’s capacitive buttons), making it reasonably easy to operate, even if we wish Mercedes included at least a few redundant hard buttons.

More irksome, however, is the brake-pedal operation. Applying pressure to the unsettlingly disconnected-feeling left pedal is akin to pushing Play-Doh through a mold. Switching the regenerative braking system to its strongest setting limits the need to interact with the brakes, as it enables the one-pedal driving mode, which also actively moves the brake pedal as the regen function decelerates the car (mimicking the pedal’s position had you actually stepped on it). Besides the strangeness of all of this, the variability of the pedal’s phantom motions makes it difficult for the driver to quickly apply the brakes when additional stopping power is required. It’s a surprisingly low-IQ feature in a car that otherwise ought to appeal to high-IQ buyers.

Specifications

2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS580 4Matic
Vehicle Type: front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE
Base/As Tested: $126,895/$141,585
Options: nappa leather upholstery, $4450; Exclusive trim package (massaging and rapid heating front seats, 4-zone climate control), $3475; augmented reality head-up display, $2000; natural grain dashboard and door trim, $1515; laminated safety glass, $1010; active ambient lighting, $590; air control plus with HEPA filtration, $450; illuminated seat belt buckles, $300; heated steering wheel, $250; 110-volt home charging cord, $250; integrated toll payment system, $200; dashcam, $200

POWERTRAIN
Front Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Mid Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous AC
Combined Power: 516 hp
Combined Torque: 631 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 107.8 kWh
Onboard Charger: 9.6 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive

CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 15.4-in vented disc/14.9-in vented disc
Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5
265/40R-21 105H MO

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 126.4 in
Length: 207.3 in
Width: 75.8 in
Height: 59.6 in
Cargo Volume: 22 ft³
Curb Weight: 5806 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 3.7 sec
100 mph: 9.1 sec
1/4-Mile: 12.1 sec @ 114 mph
130 mph: 16.6 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.8 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 1.5 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.1 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 131 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 177 ft
Braking, 100–0 mph: 366 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.88 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 84 MPGe
75-mph Highway Range: 350 mi

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 95/92/99 MPGe
Range: 340 mi