Mercedes-Benz Building Battery-Electric EQS SUV

Mercedes-Benz begins building the battery-electric EQS at its assembly plant in Tuscaloosa, AL, the only site where the fullsize luxury SUV will be produced.

The production launch moves the German automaker closer to its goal of manufacturing eight BEVs at seven sites on three continents this year. The 25-year-old Tuscaloosa plant already builds the GLE and GLS SUVs, GLE Coupe and the Mercedes-Maybach GLS. Another battery-electric SUV, the EQE, goes into production at the Alabama plant later this year.

The EQS is capable of 355 hp and 419 lb.-ft. (568 Nm) of torque in the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ model or 536 hp and 633 lb.-ft. (858 Nm) in the dual-motor, all-wheel drive EQS 580 4MATIC. Mercedes-Benz has yet to disclose the SUV’s range but says the 107.8-kWh battery it shares with the EQS sedan can be charged from 10%-100% in 31 minutes on a DC fast charger.

The SUV has standard rear-axle steering and an offroad driving mode. It shares the long wheelbase of the EQS Sedan but is more than 7.8 ins. (198 mm) taller.

The EQS has an optional third row and features Mercedes-Benz’s available MBUX Hyperscreen with three displays under a 56-in. (142-cm) curved glass surface. The new-generation MBUX Multimedia System includes augmented-reality navigation system, natural language understanding and “Hey Mercedes” keyword activation. 

The EQS SUV goes on sale later this year.

A battery factory that opened in March in nearby Bibb County, AL, produces battery systems for the EQS SUV on a 985-ft. (300-m) production line. The battery for the EQS is based on a modular architecture also used in the EQS and EQE sedans. All of the factory’s electrical needs will be met through renewable energy sources from 2024, Mercedes-Benz says.

Mercedes EQS-SUV-23 interior