S-CLASS ELECTRIFIED

The first all-electric Mercedes-Benz luxury saloon, the S-Class electric car, promises a range of more than 780km. To put that to the test, GQ Motoring Editor Dieter Losskarn drove it from Stuttgart to Berlin (633.6km).

- Dieter Losskarn

I'VE DRIVEN SEVERAL ELECTRIC CARS in the last couple of months. I even road-tripped an Audi e-tron Sportback 1 500km into the Karoo. All had one thing in common: the range anxiety was omnipresent. So, I was very keen to experience the new Mercedes-Benz EQS in Germany. Not only does the brand promise a range of more than 780km, but there's the added benefit of over 300 000 charging ports in Europe, all of which the Merc's intelligent navigation system covers.

I picked up the Benz in Stuttgart at my favourite hotel, the V8 Hotel Stuttgart. To fully appreciate the electric intelligence of my digital ride, I downloaded the Mercedes me app. Now, I was in contact with my ride via my iPhone. I could even program the route guidance from my hotel room or check the charge on my smartphone. The new navi calculates the best, most efficient route, including charging points. And should your driving style change, the system adapts and adds additional charging stops.

You can load the EQS with up to 200kW at fast-charging stations with direct current (DC). Most of the ones I encountered on the Autobahn were 300kW, so no problem there. The charging power can be slightly less than claimed, depending on the outside temperature. But you can recharge for another 300km in just 15 minutes.