Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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The All-Electric Mercedes-Benz EQS Saloon
Mercedes-Benz, simply known as Mercedes, is a leading global luxury automative manufacturer based in Germany. The company is headquartered in Stuttgart and is famed for its high quality passenger vehicles, to include the Mercedes-Maybach. However, the company is also a leader in manufacturing commercial vehicles, to include the plug-in Mercedes eSprinter commercial EV and the plug-in Mercedes eVito electric van.
Mercedes-Benz EQ is the sub-brand used by the company for its portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrids. The pure electric cars are branded as EQ, while the PHEVs are branded as EQ Power. The mild hybrid vehicles are branded as EQ Boost. The BEV portfolio includes:
- The all-electric EQA
- The all-electric EQB
- The all-electric EQC
- The all-electric EQE
- The all-electric EQS
- The all-electric EQV
The all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS saloon is part of the Mercedes-Benz EQ electric mobility family. The EQS was shown at the International Motor Show Germany in 2019, as the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS. The EQS production model was unveiled in April 2021. Production of the electric saloon commenced in October 2021. The EQS is based on the EV platform, MEA.
The EQS saloon is available, both, as a rear-wheel drive (RWD) and a higher performance all-wheel (AWD) drive variant. Both variants have the same EV battery size (108.4 kWh) with a WLTP quoted e-range up to 453 miles for the EQS 450+ and 358 miles for the AMG EQS 53 4MATIC + electric cars.
Of course, the real-world pure electric range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include, speed! So not surprising to note the lower e-range for the higher performance EQS 53. For the EQS 450+ expect a real-world range closer to 385 miles, while for the EQS 53 4MATIC +, a range of 300 miles will be more realistic. In any case, the EV range offered is impressive, practical and useful for most driving needs, to include, longer distance motorway trips.
Both variants offer DC charging up to 200 kW as standard. The EV battery can be charged up to 80% in 31 minutes. The manufacturer also offers a 3-phase 11 kW AC onboard charger as standard. However, as most homes in India are limited to single-phase power supply, taking advantage of the 11 kW charging speed will only be for those with access to 3-phase EV charging at home, workplace or a public charging station.
Using a dedicated three-phase (11 kW) EV charger like easee, the EQS electric car can be fully charged in 10 hours. Single-phase charging will take longer (15 hours and 30 minutes). We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight at home, when the electricity tariff rates are cheaper.
The rear-wheel drive EQS 450+ delivers 0-62 mph in 6.2 seconds (max power: 333/ torque: 568 Nm). The higher performance all-wheel drive AMG EQS 53 4MATIC + delivers 0-62 mph in a whopping 3.8 seconds (max power: 658/ torque: 950 Nm). The top speed of the EV is 137 mph. Of course, the electric car also benefits from instant torque.
The EQS has a high quality interior and specifications, to include: a dual-screen infotainment system as standard, with an option for a MBUX hyperscreen (17.7 inches). The luxurious EQS electric vehicle (EV) is packed with technology, to include: active distance assist DISTRONIC, rear sensors for the lane departure assistant, active steering assist, fingerprint scanner, MBUX multimedia system, widescreen cockpit, 360° camera, memory parking assist and more. In terms of practicality, the EQS electric car offers an impressive 610 L boot space. The roofline does impact the rear-view visibility.
The Mercedes-Benz EQS is not available in India.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
Large EV battery and good electric range | Top of the range expensive (options not cheap either) |
200 kW DC charging and 11 kW onboard charger as standard | Exterior design may not appeal to those seeking a more traditional styling |
Good boot space (610 L) | Sloping roofline impact rear view visibility |
The All-Electric Mercedes-Benz EQS Saloon (credit: Mercedes)
Driving an electric vehicle (EV) is cheaper than driving a petrol or diesel vehicle. As an example, in India, filling a full tank of fuel for the internal combustion engine (ICE) Tata Nexon SUV will cost up to Rs 5,000 (assuming an average cost per litre of Rs 100. The Tata Nexon has a fuel tank capacity of 44 L).
In comparison, the Tata Nexon Pure Electric SUV will cost less than Rs 300 for a full EV battery charge (EV Battery size: 30.2 kWh). In India, the average cost for residential electricity is between Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kWh(unit). Therefore the cost to drive per km (or mile) in a pure electric vehicle is substantially lower than a petrol or diesel vehicle.
At an average one can expect a cost per km of Rs 1 for a zero-emission EV, while for an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, the cost per km could be up to Rs 7 per km. The annual cost savings achieved by switching to electric driving is significant!
At A Glance | |
---|---|
EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
Vehicle Type: | Saloon |
Engine: | Electric |
Available In India: | No |
Variants (7 Options) |
---|
EQS 450+ AMG Line |
EQS 450+ AMG Line Premium |
EQS 450+ Luxury |
EQS 450+ AMG Line Premium Plus |
EQS 450+ Exclusive Luxury |
Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 Night Edition |
Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 Touring |
EV Battery & Emissions | |
---|---|
EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 108.4 kWh |
Charging: | 200 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 31 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (10%-100%: 10 hrs) |
Charge Port: | Type 2 |
EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
Warranty: | 8 years or 100,000 miles |
Charging Times (Overview) | |
---|---|
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
Dimensions | |
---|---|
Height (mm): | 1512 |
Width (mm): | 2125 |
Length (mm): | 5216 |
Wheelbase (mm): | 3210 |
Turning Circle (m): | 11.9 |
Boot Space (L): | 610 |
EQS 450+ | |
---|---|
EV Battery Capacity: | 108.4 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 404 – 453 miles |
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | 193 – 170 |
Charging: | 200 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 31 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (10%-100%: 10 hrs) |
Top Speed: | 137 mph |
0-62 mph: | 6.2 seconds |
Drive: | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) |
Max Power (hp): | 333 |
Torque (Nm): | 568 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 2,480 |
Colours: | 9 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
AMG EQS 53 4MATIC + | |
---|---|
EV Battery Capacity: | 108.4 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 336 – 358 miles |
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | 193 – 170 |
Charging: | 200 kW DC Rapid Charging (10%-80%: 31 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (10%-100%: 10 hrs) |
Top Speed: | 137 mph |
0-62 mph: | 3.8 seconds |
Drive: | All-wheel drive (AWD) |
Max Power (hp): | 658 |
Torque (Nm): | 950 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 5 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 2,655 |
Colours: | 9 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
Electric Car Charging: A Snapshot
Charging an electric vehicle (EV), is really quite as simple as charging your smart mobile phone i.e. plug and play! Both, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are charged in the same manner. Below is a brief guide to charging an electric car:
- Just like a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle is filled with fuel, similarly, an electric car is filled with ‘fuel’, the only difference being that the fuel is electricity and not petrol or diesel. In a petrol or diesel car the fuel is stored in a fuel tank, while in an electric vehicle, the electricity is stored in an EV battery, usually a lithium-ion battery.
- Electric cars can be charged at home or at public charging points. Most EV charging is done at home overnight via a dedicated EV charging station. However, some households still use a 3-PIN domestic plug to charge an EV. We strongly discourage the use of a 3-PIN domestic plug and instead encourage the installation of a high quality home EV charging station, like Webasto or EVBox.
- Pure electric cars take longer to charge than plug-in hybrid electric cars, as pure EVs have a larger EV battery. In most cases a pure electric car will have an EV battery between 30 kWh and 100 kWh, while a plug-in hybrid electric car will usually have an EV battery between 8 kWh and 15 kWh. Charging an EV at home can take between 3 to 15 hours, depending on the size of the EV battery and the type of charge point or 3-PIN plug engaged for charging. Home charging is AC charging, and in most cases up to 7.4 kW, as most homes, to include, India, are singe-phase.
Charging Times (Overview) | |
---|---|
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Public charging, to include workplace charging, is quite similar to home charging, except, the charging stations are faster and sometimes more expensive to charge per kWh. Public charging stations are both AC and DC charging, however, the AC charging is at a much faster rate (22 kW). DC charging, is the fastest way to charge an EV and depending on the EV battery size, DC charging can fully charge an EV battery in less than 40 minutes. In general, plug-in hybrid cars do not use DC charging i.e. DC charging is mostly used by pure electric cars. DC charging stations can range between 50 kW to 300 kW.
- We always encourage EV owners to carry an EV cable in the car, as not all public charging points are tethered (attached cable). We recommend the use of a 5m EV charging cable, and preferably a high visibility colour. Of course, you can buy high quality EV charging cables and EV charging stations via e-zoomed.
- To learn more about EV charging, simply visit the e-zoomed Electric Living blog.