Mercedes EQS Vs Tesla Model S Vs Lucid Air: Compared

The market for executive all-electric cars recently expanded and became much more competitive as the Tesla Model S soon will be joined by the Lucid Air and Mercedes-Benz EQS. On the high-end side, there is also Porsche Taycan (and its Audi e-tron GT derivative), but it's more sporty oriented.

The question is how the Mercedes-Benz EQS compares to the other EVs. The recently released offer has surprised many enthusiasts as the EQS start at $102,310 (+$1,050 DST) or $95,860 including the federal tax credit, which makes it well-positioned against conventional S-Class, which starts at $109,800 (+$1,050 DST).

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Tesla Model S

Mercedes-Benz EQS vs Tesla Model S

The EQS is a luxury electric car, without much focus on performance. The car is quick but not "Plaid" quick by any means, so we will compare it to the Long Range AWD version of the Tesla Model S. Tesla is not a luxury car, but it might be considered premium.

It's expected that the EQS will get a similar or maybe even a slightly better EPA range (above 400 miles) than the Model S. It should, as it has noticeably bigger battery.

There is a huge power disproportion between the two (385 kW vs almost 500 kW), which translates to slower acceleration and lower top speed.

Pricewise, the EQS is a third more expensive. You can go down from EQS 580 4MATIC to the rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ to save some cash (about $17,000), but it will then have even less power and will be far off from the Tesla Model S.

In other words, the EQS matches the Tesla range, but instead of the ultra-performance, offers more luxury, but at a higher price. Tesla benefits from its Supercharging network to offer a more premium fast charging experience, Mercedes-Benz on the other hand has its brand that attracts a lot of customers.

Mercedes-Benz EQS

Lucid Air

Mercedes-Benz EQS vs Lucid Air

The comparison with the Lucid Air is even more interesting, as the two both aim at the luxury segment. In the case of Lucid, it might be more technologically oriented compared to the more conservative Mercedes-Benz approach.

As in the case of any start-up, Lucid has no choice but to offer a better product compared to established manufacturers. In terms of range and performance (power, acceleration, top speed), this is exactly what we see, although not all the data is available yet.

The advantage of the Mercedes-Benz EQS is the price, which is noticeably lower than the Lucid Air Grand Touring (the full-reserved Dream Edition version are even more expensive at $169,000). It's important and comes on top of the established sales/service network that Mercedes-Benz has.

We feel that this indicates Lucid Air comes a little too late and must compete right from the beginning in the luxury segment. It would be better to have launched the car a few years earlier, as originally planned, but it was not possible until investors stepped in.

Anyway, less expensive Lucid Airs are also in the pipeline, so this will be a true battle.

Just for the sake of reference, here is the top EQS put against the top Lucid Air:

Prices

Specs

* estimated/unofficial values

See also

All-Electric Cars Listed By EPA Range From Lowest To Highest

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