The Mercedes-Benz EQS is the newest (and largest) member of the growing class of luxury electric sedans.
Mercedes-BenzThe all-electric sport sedan wars are heating up. Tesla may have been the original disruptor, but Porsche came to bat with the gorgeous Taycan and Lucid is throwing the Air into the mix as well. The latest players in this space are Audi's E-Tron GT -- which shares a lot of its underpinnings with the aforementioned Taycan -- and Mercedes-Benz's new all-electric flagship, the EQS.
For this comparison we'll discuss the Tesla Model S Long Range, Model S Plaid, Porsche Taycan, Taycan with the Performance Battery Pack, Taycan 4S, Taycan 4S with the Performance Battery Pack, Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S. We'll bring the top three trims of the Lucid Air on board when we talk about power, performance and price, since each is pretty distinct and we'll leave the base Lucid Air model out as specs are not currently available. For the Audi, we'll talk about the standard GT as well as the RS E-Tron GT. Finally, the single-motor EQS450 and dual-motor EQS580 4Matic models enter the fray representing Mercedes-Benz.
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See all photosDimensions
At 205.4 inches from bumper-to-bumper, the EQS is the longest model in this roundup by a long shot -- the rest all measure around 196 inches. The Merc's 59.5-inch roof rises over 4 inches taller than the next competitor, the Lucid Air. Interestingly, the Mercedes is the narrowest of the bunch, at 75.8 inches, about an inch narrower than the class average.
Sizing these models up internally isn't as clear cut, since most don't provide interior dimensions or passenger volume. A good rule of thumb is that a longer wheelbase means more legroom for passengers, which bodes well for the EQS' 126.4-inch stretch, which is nearly 10 inches longer than its competitors. That said, most of these automakers claim some sort of enhancement to interior volume versus a comparable combustion-powered sedan.
Lucid claims that the Air has "the largest frunk of any electric car to date and incredible bilevel storage capabilities in both front and rear compartments," but nearly all have some form of under-hood front trunk (Mercedes doesn't). At the rear, most use a liftback design, but have some discrete trunks, further complicating this comparison.
Exterior dimensions
| Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | |
| Audi E-Tron GT | 196.4 in | 77.3 in | 55.6 in | 114.2 in |
| Lucid Air | 195.9 in | 76.3 in | 55.9 in | 116.5 in |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS | 205.4 in | 75.8 in | 59.5 in | 126.4 in |
| Porsche Taycan | 195.4 in | 77.4 in | 54.3 in | 114.2 in |
| Tesla Model S | 195.7 in | 77.3 in | 56.9 in | 116.5 in |
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See all photosPowertrain
All three of these EVs are pushing out a lot of range. Lucid was the first to break the 500-mile barrier with the Air Grand Touring. The Porsche so far has the shortest EPA estimated range at just 227 for the Taycan 4S with the Performance Battery -- shorter even than its platform-mate, the E-Tron GT. That said, Porsche's numbers are a bit conservative in our testing; Roadshow's own Steven Ewing reports the Taycan can go much farther than its EPA numbers suggest. Ewing estimates a real-world range of around 250 miles for the Taycan Turbo and even more for the base car.
The EQS hasn't yet completed EPA testing, but Mercedes' preliminary estimates put its flagship at around 478 miles on the much more lenient European WLTP cycle -- likely thanks to its massive battery pack. We expect that number will shrink during EPA testing, but for this round the EQS gets a big TBD.
Comparing charge times can be a little difficult as manufacturers opt to describe the parameters differently. Since charging times aren't linear, it's tough to just "do the math" to make all parameters equal. Lucid says the Air can get 300 miles of range in 20 minutes of charging. The EQS DC fast charges from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes, the Model S gets an 80% charge in 30 minutes, while the Audi E-Tron GT and Porsche Taycan can go from 5% to 80% capacity in 22.5 minutes.
Battery and range
| Battery size | Range | |
| Audi E-Tron GT | 93.4 kWh | 238 miles |
| Audi RS E-Tron GT | 93.4 kWh | 232 miles |
| Lucid Air Touring | TBD | 406 miles |
| Lucid Air Grand Touring | 113.0 kWh | 517 miles |
| Lucid Air Dream Edition | 113.0 kWh | 503 miles |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS450 | 107.8 kWh | TBD |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS580 4Matic | 107.8 kWh | TBD |
| Porsche Taycan | 79.2 kWh | 200 miles |
| Porsche Taycan PBP | 93.4 kWh | 225 miles |
| Porsche Taycan 4S | 79.2 kWh | 199 miles |
| Porsche Taycan 4S PBP | 93.4 kWh | 227 miles |
| Porsche Taycan Turbo | 93.4 kWh | 201 miles |
| Porsche Taycan Turbo S | 93.4 kWh | 192 miles |
| Tesla Model S Long Range | 100.0 kWh | 412 miles |
| Tesla Model S Plaid | 100.0 kWh | 390 miles |
Performance
Lucid and Tesla offer seriously quick quarter-mile times; the two should be pretty fierce if they ever get to a drag strip. It looks like the Lucid can't match the Model S from 0 to 60 mph, however, with Tesla saying the Plaid can do the deed in 2 seconds. Since Audi and Porsche share a battery and architecture, you'll notice some similarities between the E-Tron GT and Taycan specs. Bringing up the rear is the luxury focused EQS -- no surprise, it's the largest and likely the heaviest sedan here -- sprinting to 60 mph in a still very respectable 4.1 seconds in its dual-motor spec.
Up until now, Lucid took top honors in a number of these categories. But never doubt Tesla's ability to excel in a numbers fight.
Performance
| Max power | Max torque | 0-60 mph | Top speed | |
| Audi E-Tron GT | 522 hp | 472 lb-ft | 3.9 sec | 152 mph |
| Audi RS E-Tron GT | 637 hp | 612 lb-ft | 3.1 sec | 155 mph |
| Lucid Air Touring | 620 hp | TBD | 3.5 sec | 155 mph |
| Lucid Air Grand Touring | 800 hp | TBD | 3.0 sec | 168 mph |
| Lucid Air Dream Edition | 1,080 hp | TBD | 2.3 sec | 168 mph |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS450 | 329 hp | 406 lb-ft | 5.5 sec | 130 mph |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS580 4Matic | 516 hp | 611 lb-ft | 4.1 sec | 130 mph |
| Porsche Taycan | 402 hp | 254 lb-ft | 5.1 sec | 143 mph |
| Porsche Taycan PBP | 469 hp | 263 lb-ft | 5.1 sec | 143 mph |
| Porsche Taycan 4S | 522 hp | 472 lb-ft | 3.8 sec | 155 mph |
| Porsche Taycan 4S PBP | 562 hp | 479 lb-ft | 3.8 sec | 155 mph |
| Porsche Taycan Turbo | 670 hp | 626 lb-ft | 3.0 sec | 161 mph |
| Porsche Taycan Turbo S | 750 hp | 774 lb-ft | 2.6 sec | 161 mph |
| Tesla Model S Long Range | 417 hp (est.) | 485 lb-ft (est.) | 3.7 sec | 155 mph |
| Tesla Model S Plaid | 1,020 hp | N/A | 2.0 sec | 200 mph |
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See all photosTech
Mercedes' suite of advanced driver assistance systems, so far, looks a lot like the great tech we've come to expect in the gasoline-powered Benz stable. The EQS stands apart from its predecessors and the rest of this class with its available MBUX Hyperscreen, three massive digital displays that merge together beneath a single, 58-inch wide curved glass panel.
We haven't had a chance to drive the new Lucid Air, but the company says the car will launch with Level 2 driver-assistance tech. Tesla's Autopilot and Full-Self Driving technologies are still very much hands-on systems, despite what the names suggest. Tesla's tech may guide drivers around curves in the road, but they must keep their hands on the wheel and remain alert at all times. Porsche, meanwhile, offers its InnoDrive tech for the Taycan, which bundles adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist, just like the Tesla. Audi will bring a number of familiar technologies to the party, including its 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit and MMI Touch Response infotainment system. Expect a full suite of driver-assistance tech, too.
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See all photosPrice
Pricing for the new Mercedes-Benz flagship EQS has not yet been announced, but we expect it'll be expensive considering the caliber of its competition. Lucid wants $77,400 of your hard-earned dollars for the base Air Pure -- not including available incentives -- and the company has yet to reveal its destination charge. That number goes up, way up, for the Dream Edition, which comes in at a whopping $169,000. The Taycan starts at $81,250 including $1,350 for destination. Every version of the Model S is a bargain compared to the others.
Pricing
| Base price | Destination charge | |
| Audi E-Tron GT Premium Plus | $99,900 | TBD |
| Audi E-Tron GT Prestige | $107,100 | TBD |
| Audi RS E-Tron GT | $139,900 | TBD |
| Lucid Air Pure | $77,400 | TBD |
| Lucid Air Touring | $95,000 | TBD |
| Lucid Air Grand Touring | $139,000 | TBD |
| Lucid Air Dream Edition | $169,000 | TBD |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS450 | TBD | TBD |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS580 4Matic | TBD | TBD |
| Porsche Taycan | $79,900 | $1,350 |
| Porsche Taycan PBP | $85,680 | $1,350 |
| Porsche Taycan 4S | $103,800 | $1,350 |
| Porsche Taycan 4S PBP | $109,370 | $1,350 |
| Porsche Taycan Turbo | $150,900 | $1,350 |
| Porsche Taycan Turbo S | $185,000 | $1,350 |
| Tesla Model S Long Range | $79,990 | $1,200 |
| Tesla Model S Plaid | $119,990 | $1,200 |
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