Mercedes Benz rethinks EQS strategy, will Combine EV and ICE S-Class models: Report

Mercedes-Benz plans to make a sweeping overhaul of its luxury sedan family, saying it will combine its legendary S-Class with the all-electric EQS into one, cohesive model family. The initiative marks a significant change in the brand's electrification strategy — one that leans towards design continuity and product simplicity over the segmentation of combustion and electric variants.

One Flagship, Multiple Powertrains

While the EQS initially launched as a separate electric flagship alongside the conventional S-Class, Mercedes-Benz now thinks that it would be more suitable for its luxury customers to have a single model line that presented both internal combustion units and electric powertrains. This is exactly what competitor BMW has already done with the 7 Series and i7 duo, which are identical in terms of design, amenities, and platform architecture but address differing propulsion desires.

The unified model family is set to arrive sometime in 2030. In the meantime, the current EQS will remain on sale — though with incremental updates along the way — while Mercedes secretly massages a next-generation flagship that harmoniously marries classic luxury elements with advanced EV technology.

Why the change?

This brand reorientation comes on the heels of internal confessions that the EQS didn't quite connect with its target market. Even though it's marketed as the electric version of the S-Class, the EQS's slab-sided, cab-forward "jelly bean" design couldn't satisfy customers who equate full-size luxury sedans with aggressive dimensions, long noses, and chauffeur-grade stature.

Mercedes-Benz’s Chief Design Officer, Gorden Wagener, recently acknowledged in an interview with Autocar UK that the EQS may have been “10 years too early," both in terms of styling and positioning. He also admitted the car wasn’t marketed in a way that reflected its true character — which was less about traditional luxury and more about futuristic innovation.

The road ahead: Refinement before reinvention

While there are no plans for a successor to the EQS in its current guise, the car will continue in production until the new unified flagship is launched. A further set of updates is due as soon as next year, potentially addressing comfort and technology rather than a full-on redesign. Mercedes appears committed to keeping up the pace in the luxury EV market, but with a keener intent to balance design, identity, and customer aspirations.

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