RADICAL VISION

The first-ever Mercedes-Benz EQS with a revolutionary all-electric architecture epitomises the marque's aspirations for the future.

- SHREEJIT CHANGAROTH

Some 137 years ago, one 41-year-old Karl Freidrich Benz was granted a patent for the motorcar. The three-wheeled, self-propelled, two-seater vehicle that he had built in 1885 is widely regarded to this day as the first automobile in history. During the years that followed, Benz's factory continued to steadily develop and produce larger and better automobiles. From 1926 onwards, Benz cars were officially renamed Mercedes-Benz.

In many ways then, Mercedes-Benz is the oldest automotive brand in history. The models today range from the compact five-door hatchback A-Class to the luxurious S-Class limousine with a plethora of saloons, sportscars, station wagons, crossovers and SUVs in between. Here in Singapore, Mercedes-Benz has consistently stayed among the top three in the motorcar sales charts.

Motoring fans and enthusiasts are indeed very familiar with the company's performance sub-brand, AMG, which offers some delectable super saloons among its offerings. Less well-known but slowly gaining a following is the relatively new Mercedes-EQ range of passenger vehicles. All EQ models are fully powered by electricity and assigned a third letter that indicates its model base and size. Currently, the smallest is the EQA, which is an SUV based on the GLA.

BORN TO BE DIFFERENT

At the top of the range is the EQS, which is not a replacement for the S-Class but an electrically powered alternative. Unlike the other EQ models launched so far, the EQS is a total ground-up design dedicated to electric-only drive, and hence does not share its platform with the internal-combustion-powered S-Class models.