Mercedes launches first of 3 luxury electric vehicles in India

Next off the blocks is the locally assembled CKD unit of the all-electric sedan EQS 580 next month, followed by a seven-seater electric SUV, EQB, by November, reports Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.

Mercedes launched its first all-electric performance luxury sedan, the AMG EQS 53 4MATIC, in Mumbai on Wednesday.

This was the first of three all-electric luxury EVs Mercedes plans to launch in India over the next few months.

Mercedes-Benz India will be launching the three electric vehicles over the next four months as part of their strategy to accelerate its electric mobility journey in the country.

After the Mercedes AMG EQS 53 4MATIC, which is a Completely Built Unit (CBU), it will launch the locally assembled CKD unit of the all-electric sedan EQS 580 next month, followed by a seven-seater electric SUV, EQB, by November.

The highlight of the EQS AMG is the India debut of its MBUX hyperscreen which is the largest infotainment screen to have ever been mounted in a car. Made of Gorilla Glass, and measuring 56 inches, this screen extends from the driver's side all the way to the passenger side!

And to add brains to this hardware, it gets an 8 CPU core with 24GB of RAM and 46.4GB per second RAM memory.

The screen also boasts of all controls being seen on a single layer and not multiple inside layers as is the case with other cars.

Another plus in the interiors is the addition of a HEPA filter which fights 99.65% of fine dust, microparticles, pollen and other pollutants in the air outside. The filter acts not only from inside the cabin, but is placed under the bonnet so as to filter the air coming inside the cabin in a proper manner. Plus, a charcoal filter in the air vents reduces sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide as well as bad odours from outside.

As for the engine, expect a 0-100 km/h boost in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h with its output of up to 761 hp and a maximum motor torque of 1020 Nm, which is derived from a 107.8 kWh lithium-ion battery that supports fast charging of up to 200kWh.

The EQS also gets a rear axle steering angle of up to 9 degrees as standard. This helps tremendously in parking the EQS in tight spots.

There are also paddle shifters in the EQS. If you wonder what are paddle shifters doing in an electric car, well, here they act as mode controls for regeneration of power, thereby giving you more mileage as and when you need it. And more power when you just want to have fun with the vehicle.

The Mercedes AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ will come with a service interval of two years or 30000 km, which is also a first in the industry, and will also get a warranty of 8+2 years / 2,50.000 km on the battery.

In terms of Luxury inside, apart from a host of intuitive features and AI intelligence, you get a sound system integrated with a 15-speaker setup!

Visually a very aerodynamic coupe-type design, the EQS has flush door handles that pop out when you want to enter the car, adding to the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

The AMG EQS is also equipped with 21” alloys!

In addition to launching the luxury performance all-electric AMG, Martin Schwenk, managing director & CEO, Mercedes Benz India, said they are creating the largest fast-charging OEM network across the country with 60 kW super fast DC chargers and 180 KW ultra fast DC chargers. And that their fast charging networks will be the largest among any luxury car manufacturer and will cover 80% of India by the end of this year.

He also added that for Mercedes EV customers, charging will be free for the first year.

The EQS also boasts of a range of 529-586 km on a single charge under standard conditions.

The Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ will be available in 6 colour options, and bookings will commence next month. Price begins at Rs 2.45 cr (all-India, ex-showroom).

Here is a look at the launch at the venue in Mumbai.