By Niraj Kakade
The new Mercedes-Benz AMG EQS 53, the company says, provides a range of 529-586 km on a single charge, the highest for any electric vehicle currently in the Indian market
There is a new AMG in town, but instead of packing a high-performance ICE engine, it has an all-electric heart. In fact, Mercedes says that at 519-586 km per charge, the sedan offers the highest range for any electric vehicle in India currently. While the new AMG will be initially imported via the CBU route, the brand confirmed that it will be releasing the standard EQS next month, which will be locally assembled at its factory in Chakan, Pune. It will be priced at Rs 2.45 crore.
While it is technically part of the coveted S-Class family, the EQS 53 could not look any different. It is largely on the account of the redesigned front grille, which is now a closed unit, flanked by LED headlamps. A full-width LED strip at the front runs along the front width adds to the sleekness, while the sloped roofline gives it a coupe-like silhouette. The back is dominated by LED taillamps, which look similar to the one on the S-Class. The AMG badging is spread across its bodywork, including the front grille, side panels, and the alloys. The inside is dominated by the Mercedes MBUX Hyperscreen, a 56-inch-long slab of glass comprising three displays. Besides the driver aid information and infotainment controls, it comes with an AMG-specific instrument cluster, multimedia display, and heads-up display. The sedan is all set to shake up the performance-focused electric segment in India. Why do you ask? For starters, it comes with two electric motors — one at each axle. With standard equipment, it produces 658PS of power and 950 Nm of torque, helping it sprint from 0 to 100kmph in just 3.8 seconds, with a top speed of 220kmph. There are five different driving modes on offer: Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual.
Mercedes also offers an optional Dynamic Plus Package internationally, which boosts the engine capacity to 761PS and 1050Nm torque, reducing the 0-100kmph sprint time to just 3.4 seconds. Mercedes claims its high-voltage 107.8 kWh battery pack offers a range of 529-586 km per charge (WLTP cycle) depending on the driving conditions. It is, the company says, the longest-range for any EV currently in the Indian market. The battery takes about 12 hours to charge with a standard 11kW AC charger, but only 28 minutes with a 207 kW DC Fast Charger. With all this on offer, don’t be surprised if the car is a sellout.
Reproduced with permission from Mansworldindia.com
