Auto Express – July 30, 2019

12 SpecialIssue http://www.autoexpress.co.uk

NEWS MercedesEQS

Next-generation electric BMW SUV

THESErevealingspyshots(right)and
exclusiveimage(above)showanall-
new,all-electricflagshipMercedessaloon,
dueinthreeyears.SettobecalledEQS,it
willbetherange-toppingmodelaspartof
theGermanmanufacturer’selectrification
plan,whichwillsee10all-electricMercedes
passengercarsarrivebytheendof2022.
TheEQSwilljointheexistingEQCSUVand
forthcomingEQVMPVandEQAhatchback,
andtheselatestimagesconfirmthatthe
modelisalreadywellintoitsdevelopment
phase.It’slikelythatMercedeswillpreview
themodelasaconceptcarattheFrankfurt
MotorShowinSeptember.
WhiletheEQCusesanadaptedversion
oftheplatformthatunderpinsthemedium-
sizedGLCSUV,theEQSwillbeoneofthe
firstMercedesvehiclestomakeuseofa
purpose-built,modularall-electricplatform
currentlyunderdevelopmentinStuttgart.The
next-generationunderpinningsarescalable,
usingamixtureofsteel,aluminiumand
carbonfibreintheirconstruction,andare
suitableforawiderangeofmodels.
Earlierin2019,ahigh-rankingMercedes
insidertoldAutoExpressaboutthenew
toolkit:“It’safullydedicatedelectric-
vehicleplatform.It’sdesignedforlarger

carsandSUVs.Howmanymodelsdowe

putonthat?Maybefivebodystyles.”

Oursourcealsorevealedthatthe

newplatformdoesn’trequireaseparate

productionline,sotheEQSwillbebuilt

alongsidethenext-generationS-Classat

Mercedes’new‘Factory56’inStuttgart.And

there’sgoodreasonwhythefirmisgoing

withthisapproach toassembly:“Customer

“The iNext acts as BMW’s

technological flagship,and

debutsautonomous tech”

“The EQSwill be among

the firstEVs to makeuse of

Mercedes’new platform”

THISisourfirstglimpseofBMW’s

upcoming,‘ground-breaking’electric

SUV,theiNext.Theprototype,now

wearingproductionbodywork,was

spottedbyourspyphotographersduring

transitfromaBMWfacilityinGermany.

Themodelwillactasthebrand’s

technologicalflagship,debutingLevel

autonomousdrivingandbringinghuge

developmentsinelectric-vehicle

technology.Themodelwaspreviewed

bytheiNextconceptatthe

LosAngelesMotorShow.

Theselatestspyshotsgiveusour

firstglimpseoftheinterior,whichBMW

hasteasedoverthepastsixmonths.

Featuresincludealargeinfotainment

system,adigitalgaugeclusterandan

unconventional,squared-off,two-spoke

steeringwheel.BMWsaysthatthe

Mercedes ready to reveal

JamesBrodie

[email protected]

@jimmybrods

demandinthreetofiveyearsissomewhat

difficulttopredict,”oursourcesaid.

“That’swhywewantflexibility.”

TheEQSnamehasbeentrademarked

extensively.Mercedeshasalreadymadea

claimonawideline-upofvariants,ranging

fromEQS350toEQS600,hintingata

broadline-upofrangeandpoweroutputs.

Theprototype,spottedtestingin

Germany, lookssimilarinsizeandshapeto

theMercedesCLScoupé,sharingitssharply

taperingrearendandlowroofline,whilethe

wheelwillbefittedwithopticalfibres

thatinformthedriverwhenautonomous

drivingmodesareavailable,aswellas

indicatingsituationswherethedriveris

requiredtoretakecontrolofthevehicle.

●EQSsaloon in development

●Built on all-new EV platform

EXCLUSIVEIMAGE

SPIED

overhangsarenoticeablyshort.TheEQS

lookssettotakeadvantageofthenew

platformandelectricunderpinningsby

pushingthewheelsfarintoeachcorner

ofthecar,maximisinginteriorspace.

Thenewsaloonshouldborrowitselectric

motorsfromtheEQC,creatingafour-wheel-

driveset-upwithamotoroneach axleand

apoweroutputinexcessof400bhp.

However,thenewplatformshouldmean

there’smorespacetofitalargerbattery

thanthe80kWhpackusedintheSUV.