Mercedes-Benz is expanding its line of all-electric vehicles to catch up with U.S. electric car leader Tesla. The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, the flagship pure electric SUV, is the third high-end electric vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz EVA2 architecture after the EQS and EQE.
Mercedes-Benz today announced that production of the EQS SUV has begun at its Tuscaloosa, Alabama plant in the U.S. Mercedes-Benz said the successful production of the EQS SUV in the U.S. is an important milestone in the electrification of Mercedes-Benz and a key step in the future production of eight all-electric vehicles at seven Mercedes-Benz plants around the world.
According to the report, Mercedes-Benz built a new battery plant in March this year in Bibb County, Kentucky, where a 300-meter-long line with more than 70 workstations is responsible for producing the battery system of the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, including 12 battery modules and EE compartment.
According to electrek today, Mercedes-Benz has met two key requirements of the latest U.S. subsidy policy by building the EQS SUV electric vehicle and its batteries here in the United States. But if the car is to qualify for subsidies, it will also need to have a starting price of less than $80,000 (about RMB 548,000). For reference, the Mercedes-Benz EQS has a minimum manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $102,310 (about 700,800 yuan).
Mercedes-Benz has launched a 7-seat EQS SUV model this month, priced from $130,000 (about RMB866,600), which will be available later this year.
The all-wheel drive version of the 7-seat EQS SUV offers 536 horsepower and a single-motor rear-wheel version with a range of 410 miles (about 659.83 kilometers), a 107.8kWh battery and support for fast charging (200 kilowatts), which can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 30 minutes.
