The Mercedes-Benz EQS electric saloon has gained an extra 51 miles of range and a new front-end design echoing the firm’s traditional radiator grille as part of a range of major upgrades.
The BMW i7 rival will also receive a host of interior updates, with the option of more luxurious rear seats, new driver assistance features and the deployment of the MBUX hyperscreen as standard.
The updates will also be applied to the smaller EQE saloon, the EQE SUV and the EQS SUV, which all share the same EVA2 bespoke electric platform.
Despite the significant increase in range, Mercedes doesn’t consider this a full mid-life facelift: instead, the platform’s chief project manager Holger Enzmann described the changes as “an upgrade before the update”.
The most notable styling change to the EQS is the option of a new front panel, which uses chrome plating and vertical slats to mimic the classic radiator grilles seen on the combustion-engined S-Class – and also features a bonnet-mounted three-pointed star.
The new front end will only be offered on certain trim levels, and most UK models will retain the existing AMG Line front.
But the most significant changes have been made to increase the range of the car. The 108.4kWh battery pack has been switched for a new 118kWh unit featuring revised cells and battery chemistry, and Mercedes has twinned this with a range of features to optimise the range for what was already one of the market’s longest-legged EVs.
A heat pump is now standard, all-wheel-drive models can disconnect the front motor when not required, and the energy recuperation now works at up to 3m/s of deceleration, compared to 1.5m/s previously.
Because the brake discs will be used less, Mercedes has introduced a function that will automatically apply them occasionally to ensure they are maintained properly.