Mercedes-Benz recently launched an online video series called, “Meet Mercedes Digital.” This first episode featured CEO Ola Kallenius, who briefly teased the launch of the Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan in the second half of 2020.
“This is a special year for us. It’s the year where we launch of flagship car, the S-Class. That only comes around every so often…It’s happening in the second half of the year and we’re quite excited about it.”
Ola Kallenius
The EQS is a futuristic luxury vehicle that should be a big shot in the arm for Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz.
They could use it, too. Like most automotive companies, Daimler has been hit hard by COVID-19, with the stock price down nearly 50% this year.
The EQS will be all-electric, all-wheel drive, with a top speed of “> 200 km/h” (125mph).
Most exciting to me, the vehicle will feature Level 3 autonomy. Mercedes doesn’t dance around this term, either. Right in the middle of the vehicle overview, they state:
“The Vision EQS show car supports the driver with highly-automated driving at Level 3, e.g. on longer motorway journeys. Thanks to the modular sensor systems, the level of autonomy can be extended up to fully-automated driving in the future.”
Well, maybe they dance around it a little by writing about the “Vision EQS show car”, instead of the 2021 production EQS. But that is a bold and refreshing statement.
Given Audi’s recent step back from Level 3 technology, due to liability concerns, it will be interesting to see whether Level 3 will be available at launch this fall.
I’m excited to get behind the wheel and take my hands off.
David Silver 