Launched on Wednesday, the locally-assembled Mercedes-Benz EQS500 4Matic replaces the fully-imported EQS450+, which was launched here back in July. Not only does this future-proof the electric luxury sedan—as the import and excise duty exemptions for completely built-up (CBU) models are set to expire at the end of next year—but it also brings several revisions to the car’s spec. So, what are the changes?
It’s RM50k cheaper
There’s one major reason for buying the new EQS500, and that concerns the price. At RM648,888 on-the-road without insurance, the electric big Benz is RM50,000 less expensive than before. That may seem like chump change for something that still retails this side of 700 grand, but every little saving helps—especially when you consider the other big upside for buying the completely knocked-down (CKD) model.
It’s way more powerful (and quicker)
As the model name suggests, the EQS500 is much more powerful than the EQS450+, with the 4Matic denoting all-wheel drive. That means it has two electric motors that together make 330kW (443hp) and a whopping 855Nm of torque—a substantial 85kW (115hp) and 290Nm increase. This shaves nearly two seconds off its zero to 100km/h acceleration, which it completes in a scant (for a 2,615kg barge at least) 4.8 seconds.
It has slightly less range
The main drawback of all this extra power and torque is the slightly diminished range. Both cars get the same 107.8kWh battery, but while the EQS450+ was capable of between 631 and 782 km of a single charge, the EQS500 has a quoted range of only 580 to 696km. The good news is that the newer model has a less aggressive look, smaller wheels and EV-specific tyres, meaning that it should be more aerodynamic and have lower rolling resistance. As such, you can expect the car to achieve figures closer to the high end of that quoted range.
What hasn’t changed is the charging times. Both cars can accept 200kW of DC fast charging that will bring the batteries from 10 to 80% charge in 31 minutes. On the other hand, it takes the same yawning ten hours for a full charge using up 11kW of AC power.
The AMG Line package is gone
Park the EQS500 next to the EQS450+ and you’ll notice that the former looks much less sporty. That’s because it lacks the AMG Line exterior package, which consists of an aggressive front bumper design, deeper side skirts and a rear diffuser. It also rides on wheels that are an inch smaller, measuring 20 inches in diameter; they’re of a simpler design compared to the EQS450+’s multi-spoke AMG units.
You do at least still get a blanked-off grille with a Three-pointed Star motif and Digital Light LED headlamps, which uses micro-mirrors to give the high beams an effective resolution of 1.3 megapixels, enabling it to better block out other road users to prevent dazzling them.
Black interior and Air Balance
Further minor changes can be found on the inside. The dashboard and armrests, still upholstered in Nappa leather, are now finished in Space Grey instead of Balao Brown, while the Nappa leather seats have quilted instead of linear stitching. Additionally, the EQS500 is now fitted with Air Balance, a souped-up air freshener that pumps a fragrance directly into the air conditioning.
Rest of the specs are the same
Aside from all that, the EQS500’s standard equipment remains identical to before. You still get keyless entry, push-button start, power-adjustable front and rear seats with heating and ventilation, memory and massage functions for the front seats, pillow headrests, four-zone automatic climate control, a 15-speaker, 710W Burmester 3D sound system, a head-up display, front and rear wireless chargers, a panoramic glass sunroof and a hands-free powered tailgate.
Of course, the highlight remains the massive MBUX Hyperscreen, which takes up almost the entire width of the dashboard. It includes a 12.3-inch instrument display, a 17.7-inch OLED centre touchscreen and a 12.3-inch OLED passenger touchscreen—all covered by a single giant piece of glass. It runs on the latest version of the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) and incorporates a fingerprint reader, augmented reality navigation (using a camera near the rear-view mirror) and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
At the rear, you’ll find another pair of 11.6-inch touchscreens on the backs of the front seats, along with a removable Android tablet stowed away in the centre armrest; those at the back also get their own wireless headphones. Mechanically, the EQS500 features Airmatic air suspension and rear-wheel steering that can turn up to ten degrees, helping this over five-metre-long sedan have a similar turning circle to the compact A-Class.
The EQS also continues to be well-equipped in terms of safety, featuring all the driver assistance systems you could want. The Driving Assistance Package Plus throws on Distronic adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist for Level 2 semi-autonomous driving, along with evasive steering assist and blind spot monitoring. This is in addition to the standard autonomous emergency braking and lane keeping assist.
There’s also Pre-Safe Impulse Side that uses the air suspension to raise the side of the car if it senses an impending side collision, providing better crash protection. Park assist, a 360-degree camera system, seven airbags and rear belt bags to prevent submaring are fitted as standard.
