Mercedes reworks flagship plans again, killing EQS name by 2030

Mercedes-Benz, like so many other automakers, has made another edit to its EV roadmap, once again at the top of the range. Last we heard about plans for the S-Class and EQS came from an insider report in April. Back then, the ICE-powered S-Class was headed for facelifts in 2026 and 2029, and thence onto death in 2033. The battery-electric EQS would enjoy an update this year or next, followed by a second-generation model in 2028 that would see off the internal-combustion S-Class and become Stuttgart’s top-dog sedan. Well, forget about all that. Company CEO Ola Källenius confirmed to Autocar that the new plan is to eliminate the EQS sedan and its name, splitting the traditional S-Class into ICE- and battery-powered variants, same as with the new G-Class and EQG. In Källenius’ words, “There will be two S-Classes in the future — ICE and electric.”   

The fusion is expected to be complete in 2030, when an all-new eighth-generation S-Class debuts. Until then, on the ICE side, the current S-Class will still get its facelifts while Mercedes develops the successor. That 2030 car will sit on an evolution of the MRA II platform today’s S-Class sits on, itself an evolution of the MRA Mid-Size platform that launched with the 2015 C-Class. Thanks to redirecting heavy investments into combustion engines, the range of powerplants is said to be compliant “well into the 2030s,” and almost certainly all electrified.  

The EQS is due for a facelift and some technology improvements toward the end of next year. These include moving to an 800-volt architecture for its EVA2 platform, which will cut charging times and power a more robust suite of driving aids, fitting a battery with new chemistry, and installing in-house motors that Mercedes has designed along with a two-speed transmission. We’re not sure when the EQS is meant to change its name, perhaps with the second-gen model around 2028. Earlier this year, German outlets reported that Mercedes had stopped development work on a new MB.EA Large platform for EVs, part of a multi-billion-dollar investment in EV and digital technologies. Mercedes is said to have confirmed the report. However, Källenius told Autocar that the MB.EA Large is still in the works, so it’s possible the electric S will benefit from the big upgrade.  

Autocar suspects the same model fusion will be visited upon the upcoming seventh-generation E-Class.