The past year brought us new EVs from German manufacturers Mercedes, Audi and VW. Many of these offerings were SUVs and crossovers. One of the rare sedans was the Mercedes-Benz EQS. Think of the ESQ as the S-Class of EVs. It has several unique features and a complete suite of ADAS and autonomous features.
EQ is the EV brand for Mercedes. It is the equivalent of Audi’s Etron or VW’s iD brands.
So, what are the opportunities for shops with EQ vehicles? The EQ lineup borrows a lot from conventional platforms like suspensions, brakes and low-voltage architecture. If you are concerned that you have lost internal combustion engine and transmission repairs, the EQ series has other service opportunities like the thermal control systems, battery and charging system.
Autonomy and Redundancy
The EQS sedan and SUV are classified as Level 3 Autonomous Vehicles, according to SAE. Braking, steering, power supply and some parts of the sensor systems are designed with physical and functional redundancy. The battery, steering motor, wheel speed sensors and algorithms used by the system for data calculation are likewise duplicated. You can see this engineering concept in practice when you open the trunk and see two low-voltage batteries. Also, the front wheels have dual wheel speed sensors per wheel.
ADAS Sensors
Some aspects of the sensor system are also functionally redundant because their different physical concepts (including optical, ultrasound and radiowaves) are mutually corroborative, thereby ensuring safe operation at all times. This mainly encompasses radar, cameras and LiDAR. However, ultrasound and moisture sensors, as well as microphones, also deliver valuable data. Overall, more than 30 sensors detect the road conditions.
AMG EQS
When the EQS was introduced, Mercedes announced the AMG option. The Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ is a performance-oriented version with two motors. The electric powertrain with one motor each at the front and rear axles has fully-variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive.
Loud and Proud
The EQS brings a new, powerfully “sonorous” sound to electric driving. Its sound system uses special speakers, a bass actuator and a sound generator to create a special sound experience in two versions: “Authentic” and, as an option, “Performance” for EV models.
The Battery
The new Mercedes EQS is equipped with a powerful 400-volt battery manufactured using the latest lithium-ion technology. A major advance in sustainability has been achieved in cell chemistry, with cobalt content reduced by 10 percent.
The high-voltage battery has a usable energy content of 107.8 kWh. If the customer opts for the AMG package, one special technical feature is the AMG-specific wiring, which is adapted to the high-performance capacity.
Charger Compatibility
Thanks to the onboard charger, the EQS can be conveniently charged at home or at public charging stations with up to 22 kW (optional) of A/C power. The battery certificate stands for the long service life of the high-voltage batteries. The battery can last 10 years or up to 155,000 miles. The charger port uses a conventional CCS design. This design is used by the majority of EVs.
Suspension
The suspension on the new Mercedes EQS features a four-link axle at the front and a multi-link axle at the rear. The optional air suspension system combines with adaptive, electronically controlled adjustable damping, together with rear-axle steering as standard. The rear-axle steering angle of up to 9 degrees greatly enhances the agile handling of the large sedan. The turning circle is less than 38 feet.
