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Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius Believes the Mercedes EQS Will Be a Huge Hit in North America

When it comes to brand new models and technologies, some carmakers start small, while others swing right for the fences. On that note, Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius wants the Mercedes-Benz brand to leverage its status as a leader in automotive luxury and technology in order to establish itself as a powerful EV player in the U.S.
2022 Mercedes EQS 6 photos
Photo: Mercedes
2022 Mercedes EQS2022 Mercedes EQS2022 Mercedes EQS2022 Mercedes EQS2022 Mercedes EQS
The first step in that plan was to launch the EQS flagship EV sedan in North America first, a move that according to Kallenius will allow the German brand to steadily build momentum in this segment over the next decade, reports Autonews Europe.

“The S-Class is such a symbol for the brand and that will help us create the momentum we need for the decade,” he said. “We start with the flagship and show what a luxury dedicated architecture looks like, and since we are restricted in terms of deliveries anyway, it does not matter from a volume point of view. So, we lead with the EQS, which was the strong with from the market.”

Kallenius also believes that Mercedes can both lead the luxury segment, as well as help shift the market more quickly towards electric mobility. At the same time, he knows that shifting to EVs isn’t enough if we’re aiming for a sustainable future and that renewable energy supply is also crucial.

This means having the proper infrastructure and clean energy sources, things that require more than just good will, but also full cooperation from the world’s governments.

U.S. pricing for the all-new 2022 Mercedes EQS has yet to be announced, but all signs point to a starting MSRP of more than $100,000. In Germany, the EQS range is priced from €106,374, which is roughly $125,000. However, the flagship EQS 580 4MATIC variant is considerably more expensive, at €135,529, or about $160,000.

If we had to guess, we’d say that an entry-level Mercedes EQS is going to cost about as much as a Porsche Taycan 4S, while the flagship spec (for the time being) could cost slightly more than a Taycan Turbo (from $150,900), but almost certainly less than a Turbo S (from $185,000).
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About the author: Sergiu Tudose
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Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration.
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