Mercedes EQS Will Get Regular S-Class Grille by Popular Demand
Mercedes’ flagship electric sedan will soon look more like its flagship gas-powered one.
As aerodynamic as Mercedes-Benz's EQ line of EVs are, they're hard to call pretty—or quick sellers. In fact, Mercedes-EQs take about twice as long to sell as EVs from rival BMW, with dealers complaining they aren't as "aspirational" as their internal-combustion equivalents. But soon, Mercedes will address that by giving the EQS a regular, S-Class-style grille, potentially foreshadowing a shift back toward its proven styling language.
The addition was reportedly confirmed by Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius in an earnings call attended by Autocar. Since launch, the EQS and Mercedes' subsequent EVs have featured a prismatic facsimile of a grille with a large, flush Mercedes logo. In the hope of juicing sales, Mercedes will introduce a new optional grille that mirrors that of the S-Class, and brings back the badge mounted to the hood. The option was previewed in a slide shown in the presentation, depicted below.
"Some [customers] will want to keep a more sporty look and have the star integrated in the panel, and some we believe will want to have the more traditional look," Källenius reportedly explained.
The tweak will reportedly come as part of a midlife refresh that will also introduce rear "executive seats" and a new battery that will boost range. It's speculated to be an upgrade from 108 kilowatt-hours to 118 as seen in the EQS SUV, which might give the longest-legged model around 380 miles of range for the U.S. market. The updated EQS will reportedly become available in June, presumably as a 2025 model.
As the S-class has historically heralded the direction of the auto industry, it stands to reason the EQS's reversion to conventional styling could set the tone for the rest of Mercedes' EQ lineup. (Or perhaps, the EV market at large.) It won't be all Mercedes needs to correct the EQ lineup's course though, as many EQ products' styling remains unpopular with some. Its poorly designed Hyperscreen isn't the selling point Mercedes hoped, while market saturation isn't helping the sales of upscale EVs.
Mercedes didn't respond to a request for confirmation of alternative EQS grilles' availability in the U.S. by time of publication.
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