Mercedes EQS Loses Some Camo, Shows Torpedo-Shaped Body

Mercedes is the biggest player in the luxury car market, but people still don't believe they'll make it in the electric car business. Tesla is such a dominant force right now, and the first EVs from Germany have lacked a certain something.

We don't know if the EQS will be that much better than the EQC crossover, but it certainly looks different. The shape is unlike normal cars, completely opposing the traditional 3-box sedan theories.

With some of the original camo now gone, we can see that the EQS is torpedo-shaped, probably designed for the ultimate aerodynamic streamlining. It's like a fat dolphin. This won't go well with the people who like AMGs with giant grilles and bulging fenders.

Strangely, the EQS does have a strong exhaust note, but it's a fake one and isn't coming from an internal combustion engine. After all, the car comes with dual electric motors that pack a total of 469 horsepower, if the preview concept they released is to be believed.

Will that be enough to swap your V8 muscle for an EV? Probably not. However, the EQS is for the people who want to try something new. It's a minimalist interior, a science experiment and a luxury toy all rolled into one package.

When the concept got shown in 2019, the Frankfurt crowd was impressed by the 500 individual LEDs of the four holographic lenses which allowed the headlights to perform 3D light shows. BMW and Audi seem to have similar ideas, though we can't see it as anything more than a gimmick.

The real difference-maker is the range, as Mercedes has set itself a rather ambitious target of 435 miles (700 km) on the European test cycle. That's rather a lot for a projected 100 kWh pack and about double what the 2020 EQC 400 achieves 80 kWh pack. Unfortunately for both, the Tesla has a lead and is pushing it every day.