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Mercedes-Benz has fired back at BMW in the battle to sell the longest-range electric car, its new EQS flagship claiming enough for Sydney to Melbourne – with, on paper at least, distance to spare.
Electric Cars
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz EQS will claim up to 925km of electric driving range when it goes on sale in Europe later this year.
The 925km headline figure on Europe's WLTP test cycle beats the 900km quoted by the BMW i3 electric sedan, and is the highest range claimed by an electric car under the same testing procedures.
Australian deliveries are due to commence between October and December 2026, but it is unclear if the EQS450+ variant with the 925km claim will be offered locally and, if so, whether it will ride on larger wheels that will hurt its aerodynamics.
The updated EQS introduces steer-by-wire technology, and adopts an 800-volt electrical architecture from the latest CLA and GLC, with in-house developed electric motors that Mercedes-Benz claims are more compact and robust.
The long-range EQS450+ now achieves a WLTP range rating of 925km, a 13 per cent improvement over its predecessor.
It is thanks to a usable battery capacity now quoted as 122kWh, up from 118kWh, using silicon-oxide anodes to improve density.
Charging power has reached 350kW DC, enabling the addition of 320km of lab-tested range in as little as 10 minutes. At 400-volt charging stations, the battery splits into two parts to charge at up to 175kW.
The vehicle features a two-speed gearbox on the rear motor, where the first gear handles initial acceleration and the second gear provides efficiency at highway speeds.
Regenerative braking power is up 33 per cent to 385kW, and can be used in a claimed 99 per cent of driving situations (rather than traditional friction braking), while towing capacities have also been upgraded to 1600kg with rear-wheel-drive and 1700kg with all-wheel-drive.
One of the most significant mechanical changes is the introduction of steer-by-wire technology, making Mercedes-Benz the first German manufacturer to offer a production vehicle with this system.
This technology eliminates the physical steering column and replaces it with a digital signal path between the steering wheel and the front axle.
The wheel itself is a new 'yoke' design that allows an unobstructed view of the instrument cluster, as the driver no longer needs to perform overhand manoeuvres when turning due to a variable steering ratio that adjusts based on driving conditions.
At low speeds, the ratio is set to 4:1 (the traditional ratio is 14:1), which allows for full directional control and U-turns without requiring the driver to adjust their grip or perform hand-over-hand manoeuvres.
To ensure safety, the system is built with redundancies of two separate signal paths.
If a primary failure occurs, the vehicle maintains control through its 10-degree rear-axle steering and wheel-specific braking interventions. Mercedes-Benz claims the technology has undergone over one million kilometres of testing on tracks and public roads.
Customers who prefer a traditional setup will still be able to order the vehicle with electromechanical steering.
Inside, the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System integrates artificial intelligence from ChatGPT, Microsoft Bing, and Google Gemini, powering a virtual assistant with various personalities and enabling cloud-based suspension adjustments.
The vehicle communicates with other Mercedes-Benz cars to identify road hazards like potholes and speed bumps, automatically adjusting the dampers a split-second before the wheels strike them.
Navigation functions now include a 3D map of the surroundings, and trip planning that considers factors such as wind conditions in range calculations.
Exterior updates include the option of a revised upright star emblem on the bonnet, subject to regulations in specific markets – and not available in Australia for this reason.
The daytime-running lights now incorporate the three-pointed star design, and the grille is lit by nearly 1000 LEDs, again in star patterns. The rear features a redesigned bumper with chrome trim and intensified spiral lights.
There are 125 paint colors available, including a new Sparkling Black finish that contains tiny glass particles.
Inside the cabin, a heated seatbelt option for the front seats can reach 44 degrees Celsius to improve comfort and safety by reducing the need for bulky clothing.
Rear passengers are provided with belt bags that inflate during a crash and two 13.1-inch screens with integrated cameras for video conferencing from every seat.
The entry-level 400 model starts at €94,403, or the equivalent of AUD$156,700, though local pricing after Luxury Car Tax – and the wider Australian model line-up – is yet to be revealed.
Stepping up to the EQS450+ brings the line-up’s peak range of 925km, with a price tag of €108,635 (AUD$180,300), while the all-wheel-drive EQS500 4Matic delivers 350kW and is listed at €123,284 (AUD$204,600).
The flagship EQS580 4Matic rounds out the quartet with 430kW and 800Nm, coming in at €134,732 (AUD$223,600), ahead of an AMG version to come.
These figures are between €10,000 and €20,000 lower than equivalent internal-combustion S-Class models in the European market. Official Australian pricing will be announced closer to the EQS sedan's local launch, due in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Electric Cars Guide
Samantha has been obsessed with cars and combustion engines for most of her life, and has spent the past 25 years deep in the automotive and motorsport industries. An automotive awards judge, rally driver and motorsport tragic, she spends weekdays writing about cars and weekends off-road, off-grid or running amok at the track.
