2021 Mercedes-Benz EQS Has Fake Exhaust Camouflage Cut-Outs

Well, because it did things right. In order to create buzz, you needed to aim for the top. In the EV segment, like it or not, that means Tesla. Taking on the Californian company could be done in three different ways: create a car that matches Tesla's maximum range, create one that has similar performance attributes, or the nigh-on impossible task of fusing both into a true Tesla-killer.

Porsche went for the second option and even though it looks like the Taycan Turbo S won't be able to beat the latest Tesla Model S P100 Performance in a drag race, it can still hold its own and, most likely, outdo the American on a proper racing track. But wait, aren't we supposed to talk about Mercedes-Benz?

That's precisely my point. The Mercedes-Benz EQC is so utterly forgettable that I would much rather focus on something more exciting. Everything about the electric SUV is bang-average. Mercedes thought it was clever opting for a body style that was in high demand, but it didn't really think it through. A larger car is a potential family car, but those don't make much sense if you need to stop every 200 miles or so. Especially if there are kids in the car.

Judging by the little we know about the EQS so far, it looks like it could be the model that bounces Mercedes-Benz right back up in the EV market. For one thing, it bears the "S" letter in its moniker, which means it should be all about luxury, but don't rule out some sportiness as well. The prototypes have behaved so far whenever they've been spotted on the street, and yet we can't help feel they will pay a visit to the Nürburgring sometime during their development.

A much more important spec for the new battery-powered sedan will be its maximum range. Mercedes is supposedly aiming for 435 miles (700 km), which would be plenty if only it didn't sound so far-fetched. It's hard to imagine a battery pack larger than 100 kWh, which is the same capacity top Teslas use, and even they haven't managed to break the 400 miles threshold. Besides, it would be a giant leap that would render the hapless EQC all the more useless way too soon. We think something in the region of 300 miles (480 km) would be much more likely, and also enough to satisfy most potential buyers.

As for its exterior design, it's touch and go. The proportions seem right with a large cabin and a sloped roof, but it's the details that have us worried. It'll be interesting to see if Mercedes is ready to drop the grille aspect at the front and, more importantly, the exhaust-shaped ornaments at the back. So far, the prototypes have elliptic holes in the camouflage film where the tailpipes would normally sit, but that's only to throw off any curious amateur holding a camera.

If there's one area Mercedes-Benz rarely disappoints, it's the interior. Given the roomy nature of EV cabins, we expect the company's designers to make the most of the space at their disposal and dress it up in high tech and plush materials. Some simplicity is to be expected, as is the trend, but we wouldn't go as far as Tesla Model-3 levels of scarcity.

It'll be interesting to see how Mercedes-Benz positions the EQS in the market, whether it'll be strictly in the luxury segment or have it dip its toes into the performance sedan section as well. Don't rule out another frustrating vehicle from Mercedes either, as the EQS might still be one of those transition models that show the company hasn't fully embraced the EV trend yet or at least isn't ready to compete at the highest level.