Stuttgart – The Mercedes-Benz EQS has shed its awkward proportions and adopted a sharper nose, traditional chrome slats in the grille and the three-pointed star returned to the bonnet, but the real revolution lies beneath the skin: for the first time in a series-production car, Mercedes-Benz has replaced the mechanical steering column with steer-by-wire, routing driver inputs through electrical signals alone.
This marks the culmination of a facelift that attacks the EQS on two fronts: design credibility and technological leadership. After years of criticism that the original 2021 model looked neither like a Mercedes nor competitive enough against Tesla Model S in the United States or homegrown luxury electrics in China, the 2026 refresh aims to reconcile the car’s S-Class aspirations with tangible advances that rivals cannot yet match in volume production.
How the new steering system works and what it feels like
The accompanying jump from 400 to 800 volts underpins most of the EQS’s other gains. Battery capacity rose modestly from 118 to 122 kWh thanks to silicon-oxide-enhanced graphite anodes and reduced cobalt content, but the real range extender is efficiency: a revised rear-axle two-speed gearbox lowers cruising consumption, while tweaked aerodynamics — especially reshaped wing mirrors — keep the drag area (cW × A) at 0.5 m², equivalent to a cyclist’s frontal resistance. Recuperation now peaks at 385 kW, a third higher than before.
What the range and charging improvements mean in practice
<!– /wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>WLTP-certified range now reaches 925 kilometres for the EQS 450+, up from 816 km, placing it second only to the Lucid Air in real-world endurance among production EVs. Charging power increased from 200 kW to 350 kW, enabling Mercedes’s claim of 320 kilometres of range replenished in ten minutes — though this relies on the 800-volt infrastructure and a “banking” strategy that halves pack voltage during charging to protect cell longevity, a technique already used by Porsche and Audi on their premium electric platforms.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Where the EQS still falls short of rivals
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>Despite the gains, the EQS remains a niche player in the luxury electric segment. Its design revisions, while closer to the S-Class language, still lack the avant-garde presence of the Porsche Taycan or the minimalist tech focus of the Tesla Model S. In Europe, the illuminated star on the bonnet — visible in markets like the United States and China — is omitted due to regulatory constraints, a subtle reminder that global harmonisation remains elusive. The EQS 450 4Matic continues to be absent from the United States lineup, mirroring its prior market absence.
/wp:paragraph> wp:html>Is steer-by-wire safe enough for everyday use?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Mercedes emphasizes redundant power supplies and fail-safe software architecture, noting that the system meets ISO 26262 ASIL-D standards; real-world validation will depend on long-term field data, but aviation and industrial applications have used similar fly-by-wire principles for decades.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Can the EQS now compete with the Lucid Air on range?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>At 925 kilometres WLTP, the EQS closes the gap to the Lucid Air’s 960 kilometres, though independent testing may reveal different outcomes; the advantage now lies more in Mercedes’s broader dealer network and brand cachet in Europe than in outright range supremacy.
/wp:paragraph> /wp:heading –>Why Mercedes is betting on 800-volt architecture now
The accompanying jump from 400 to 800 volts underpins most of the EQS’s other gains. Battery capacity rose modestly from 118 to 122 kWh thanks to silicon-oxide-enhanced graphite anodes and reduced cobalt content, but the real range extender is efficiency: a revised rear-axle two-speed gearbox lowers cruising consumption, while tweaked aerodynamics — especially reshaped wing mirrors — keep the drag area (cW × A) at 0.5 m², equivalent to a cyclist’s frontal resistance. Recuperation now peaks at 385 kW, a third higher than before.
What the range and charging improvements mean in practice
<!– /wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>WLTP-certified range now reaches 925 kilometres for the EQS 450+, up from 816 km, placing it second only to the Lucid Air in real-world endurance among production EVs. Charging power increased from 200 kW to 350 kW, enabling Mercedes’s claim of 320 kilometres of range replenished in ten minutes — though this relies on the 800-volt infrastructure and a “banking” strategy that halves pack voltage during charging to protect cell longevity, a technique already used by Porsche and Audi on their premium electric platforms.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Where the EQS still falls short of rivals
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>Despite the gains, the EQS remains a niche player in the luxury electric segment. Its design revisions, while closer to the S-Class language, still lack the avant-garde presence of the Porsche Taycan or the minimalist tech focus of the Tesla Model S. In Europe, the illuminated star on the bonnet — visible in markets like the United States and China — is omitted due to regulatory constraints, a subtle reminder that global harmonisation remains elusive. The EQS 450 4Matic continues to be absent from the United States lineup, mirroring its prior market absence.
/wp:paragraph> wp:html>Is steer-by-wire safe enough for everyday use?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Mercedes emphasizes redundant power supplies and fail-safe software architecture, noting that the system meets ISO 26262 ASIL-D standards; real-world validation will depend on long-term field data, but aviation and industrial applications have used similar fly-by-wire principles for decades.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Can the EQS now compete with the Lucid Air on range?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>At 925 kilometres WLTP, the EQS closes the gap to the Lucid Air’s 960 kilometres, though independent testing may reveal different outcomes; the advantage now lies more in Mercedes’s broader dealer network and brand cachet in Europe than in outright range supremacy.
/wp:paragraph> /wp:paragraph –>Steer-by-wire eliminates the physical connection between steering wheel and rack; instead, torque sensors in the wheel send data to a control unit, which commands actuators at the wheels. Mercedes engineers say the system allows variable steering ratios and tailored feedback curves that would be impossible with a fixed column, while also freeing up space in the dashboard and reducing weight. During a closed-circuit test drive, journalists noted the initial disconnection — a slight numbness around centre — but praised the precision and stability at higher speeds, particularly when lane-changing on wet asphalt.
Why Mercedes is betting on 800-volt architecture now
The accompanying jump from 400 to 800 volts underpins most of the EQS’s other gains. Battery capacity rose modestly from 118 to 122 kWh thanks to silicon-oxide-enhanced graphite anodes and reduced cobalt content, but the real range extender is efficiency: a revised rear-axle two-speed gearbox lowers cruising consumption, while tweaked aerodynamics — especially reshaped wing mirrors — keep the drag area (cW × A) at 0.5 m², equivalent to a cyclist’s frontal resistance. Recuperation now peaks at 385 kW, a third higher than before.
What the range and charging improvements mean in practice
<!– /wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>WLTP-certified range now reaches 925 kilometres for the EQS 450+, up from 816 km, placing it second only to the Lucid Air in real-world endurance among production EVs. Charging power increased from 200 kW to 350 kW, enabling Mercedes’s claim of 320 kilometres of range replenished in ten minutes — though this relies on the 800-volt infrastructure and a “banking” strategy that halves pack voltage during charging to protect cell longevity, a technique already used by Porsche and Audi on their premium electric platforms.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Where the EQS still falls short of rivals
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>Despite the gains, the EQS remains a niche player in the luxury electric segment. Its design revisions, while closer to the S-Class language, still lack the avant-garde presence of the Porsche Taycan or the minimalist tech focus of the Tesla Model S. In Europe, the illuminated star on the bonnet — visible in markets like the United States and China — is omitted due to regulatory constraints, a subtle reminder that global harmonisation remains elusive. The EQS 450 4Matic continues to be absent from the United States lineup, mirroring its prior market absence.
/wp:paragraph> wp:html>Is steer-by-wire safe enough for everyday use?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Mercedes emphasizes redundant power supplies and fail-safe software architecture, noting that the system meets ISO 26262 ASIL-D standards; real-world validation will depend on long-term field data, but aviation and industrial applications have used similar fly-by-wire principles for decades.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Can the EQS now compete with the Lucid Air on range?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>At 925 kilometres WLTP, the EQS closes the gap to the Lucid Air’s 960 kilometres, though independent testing may reveal different outcomes; the advantage now lies more in Mercedes’s broader dealer network and brand cachet in Europe than in outright range supremacy.
/wp:paragraph> /wp:heading –>Steer-by-wire eliminates the physical connection between steering wheel and rack; instead, torque sensors in the wheel send data to a control unit, which commands actuators at the wheels. Mercedes engineers say the system allows variable steering ratios and tailored feedback curves that would be impossible with a fixed column, while also freeing up space in the dashboard and reducing weight. During a closed-circuit test drive, journalists noted the initial disconnection — a slight numbness around centre — but praised the precision and stability at higher speeds, particularly when lane-changing on wet asphalt.
Why Mercedes is betting on 800-volt architecture now
The accompanying jump from 400 to 800 volts underpins most of the EQS’s other gains. Battery capacity rose modestly from 118 to 122 kWh thanks to silicon-oxide-enhanced graphite anodes and reduced cobalt content, but the real range extender is efficiency: a revised rear-axle two-speed gearbox lowers cruising consumption, while tweaked aerodynamics — especially reshaped wing mirrors — keep the drag area (cW × A) at 0.5 m², equivalent to a cyclist’s frontal resistance. Recuperation now peaks at 385 kW, a third higher than before.
What the range and charging improvements mean in practice
<!– /wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>WLTP-certified range now reaches 925 kilometres for the EQS 450+, up from 816 km, placing it second only to the Lucid Air in real-world endurance among production EVs. Charging power increased from 200 kW to 350 kW, enabling Mercedes’s claim of 320 kilometres of range replenished in ten minutes — though this relies on the 800-volt infrastructure and a “banking” strategy that halves pack voltage during charging to protect cell longevity, a technique already used by Porsche and Audi on their premium electric platforms.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Where the EQS still falls short of rivals
/wp:paragraph> wp:paragraph>Despite the gains, the EQS remains a niche player in the luxury electric segment. Its design revisions, while closer to the S-Class language, still lack the avant-garde presence of the Porsche Taycan or the minimalist tech focus of the Tesla Model S. In Europe, the illuminated star on the bonnet — visible in markets like the United States and China — is omitted due to regulatory constraints, a subtle reminder that global harmonisation remains elusive. The EQS 450 4Matic continues to be absent from the United States lineup, mirroring its prior market absence.
/wp:paragraph> wp:html>Is steer-by-wire safe enough for everyday use?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>Mercedes emphasizes redundant power supplies and fail-safe software architecture, noting that the system meets ISO 26262 ASIL-D standards; real-world validation will depend on long-term field data, but aviation and industrial applications have used similar fly-by-wire principles for decades.
/wp:paragraph> wp:heading>Can the EQS now compete with the Lucid Air on range?
/wp:heading> wp:paragraph>At 925 kilometres WLTP, the EQS closes the gap to the Lucid Air’s 960 kilometres, though independent testing may reveal different outcomes; the advantage now lies more in Mercedes’s broader dealer network and brand cachet in Europe than in outright range supremacy.
/wp:paragraph> /wp:paragraph –>
