This Mercedes Went 539 Miles On A Charge. Is Range Anxiety Finally Dead?

Edmunds says the Mercedes EQS 450+ is the longest-range sedan it has ever tested, beating out the Lucid Air.

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

By: Kevin Williams

Nov 10, at 3:48pm ET

Comment

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ covered 539 miles in one charge, according to Edmunds.
This is significantly further than its 467-mile EPA range rating.
Edmunds also found that it's the third-fastest charging EV it has ever tested, beaten only by the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+.

A 2027 Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan just traveled well over 500 miles in a real-world range test by Edmunds. It's an amazing result that shows range anxiety may finally be fading into the rearview—especially if you've got deep enough pockets.

When put through its paces, the Mercedes EQS 450+ covered 539 miles, surpassing its 467-mile EPA rating by a substantial 72 miles. That also makes it the longest-range sedan Edmunds has ever tested, beating out the Lucid Air Dream Edition by 34 miles. Keep in mind that Edmunds tests range on a route with a 60/40 split between city and highway driving, whereas the EPA aims for a 55/45 breakdown. In Edmunds' testing, only the Cadillac Escalade IQ has bested the EQS 450+’s range, covering a stunning 558 miles.

For 2027, Mercedes-Benz updated the EQS with some tweaks that helped boost its efficiency and range. The battery is now 122 kilowatt-hours, up from 118 kWh in the older model. The rear motor now has a two-speed transmission, and the whole platform has been upgraded to an 800-volt design. These upgrades already boosted the EQS’s stated range on paper. Overdelivering in the real world confirms that the range anxiety argument against EVs is only getting harder to make.

The EQS can't just drive farther than its predecessor. The updated 800-volt platform allows it to charge far more quickly.

Because of its long range, stellar efficiency, and strong DC fast-charging rate, Edmunds says it’s the third-fastest charging EV it has ever tested based on its miles-per-hour charging metric. The EQS 450+ was able to add 100 miles of range in just 7 minutes is only bested by the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and the new Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+. The CLA 250+ also has some of the same tricks that the EQS 450+ uses to increase efficiency and lower charging times, like a two-speed transmission and an 800-volt platform.

To be sure, Edmunds’ test example stickered at nearly $122,000, which isn’t attainable for most EV buyers. Still, the growing availability of ultra-long-range EVs shows that range anxiety is becoming a thing of the past. A new generation of luxury EVs is proving that out; the BMW iX3, i3, and iX5 all have range ratings well north of 400 miles, while the Volvo EX60 and Porsche Cayenne Electric land around there too. For its part, Edmunds has now tested six EVs that sail past 500 miles.

What may be even more encouraging is that there plenty of 300-mile cars on offer too, and many of those won't break the bank like a six-figure Mercedes. Edmunds says more than 90 models have exceeded 300 miles in its testing.

What do you think?

View

Comments

Ten years ago, 300 miles seemed like a stretch goal for the mainstream; only the Model S had such a rating. Now, it’s not hard to find cars like the Chevy Equinox EV or Kia EV3 that can easily hit that number, for prices that aren’t too far off from the average gas-powered crossover.

EVs still have obstacles to overcome in the eyes of the general public, like high purchase prices, scattered charging infrastructure, and a lack of options. But increasingly, range isn't one of them.