Launched: First ‘Made in India’ luxury electric car with 857 km range
Mercedes-Benz EQS 580, the first luxury electric car to be manufactured in India, has been launched today at a price of ₹1.55 crore (ex-showroom). The German auto giant launched the third EV in its portfolio days after the AMG version of the EQS 53 was launched in the country. Local assembly of the EQS 580, which is a first for Mercedes outside Germany, has been the key reason to keep its prices low, even lower than the S Class luxury sedan. Mercedes-Benz has already started to accept bookings for the EQS 580 at ₹25 lakh. It will take on the likes of Porsche Taycan EV and Audi e-tron GT among other luxury EVs in India.
Mercedes expects EQS 580, its 14th model to be locally made in India, to play a significant role in its aim to see its EVs contribute one-fourth of its overall sales in the next five years. Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, said, “India is the first country outside Germany to manufacture the EQS 580 4MATIC, and this unique distinction underpins Mercedes-Benz India’s deep customer commitment and long-term vision for developing the luxury EV market here."
The Mercedes EQS 580, launched globally last year, is basically the electric avatar of the S Class which recently won the World Car of the Year award for best luxury car. The EQS can claim to be the world's best luxury electric car due to its promised performance credentials, luxury and zero-emission technology.
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The Mercedes EQS 580 comes equipped with a 107.8 kWh lithium-ion battery and a four-motor set up with a motor on each axle. Mercedes says the EQS 580 will offer a range of up to 857 kms on a single charge based on ARAI certification. It is now officially the longest range any EV has in India, though its real-world range is likely to be lesser. It is also one of the most powerful EVs in India with 523 bhp of maximum power and 856 Nm of peal torque on offer. It takes around four seconds to sprint from zero to 100 kmph, a tad slower than 3.5 seconds taken by the AMG EQS 53.
The Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 has a 200 kW DC charging capacity which means that the EV can be recharged for 300 kms about 15 minutes at a quick charging station.
Besides the impressive drive dynamics, Mercedes EQS 580 offers much more to justify its price tag. One of the key interests would be the luxury features this car boasts of. The most prominent among them is the gigantic 56-inch MBUX hyperscreen, which made its debut in India when Mercedes launched the AMG version of the EQS recently. It is basically a sum of three smaller screens used as passenger display, central infotainment and driver display. It is the largest in-car screen in the world at present. The other highlights include ambient lighting, massage seats, high-end Burmester sound system, among others.
