The next-gen S-Class and EQS sedans will be unified and introduced under a single moniker, rather than as two different cars. The move will help reduce the parity between the ICE and EV versions, and help the carmaker tackle the plummeting sales of both models.
The next-gen S-Class, due in 2030, will be available with both ICE and EV powertrains. As per CEO Ola Källenius, the EQS name, introduced for its flagship EV sedan in 2021, will be completely phased out. “There will be two S-Classes in the future – ICE and electric,” he revealed to Autocar UK, adding that both versions will feature similar exterior and interior designs.
Despite the similar designs, the ICE and EV versions will likely be based on different platforms. The S-Class electric and next-gen EQE will likely be based on Mercedes' upcoming MB.EA Large EV platform. On the other hand, the S-Class ICE will be based on an updated version of the current MRA platform.
The unification comes as sales of both models have plummeted. It has declined by 37 percent in the first quarter of this year for the S-Class. Moreover, the company's projection that EVs would account for more than 20 percent of its global sales in 2023 fell short by 9 percent, despite a 73 percent increase over the preceding year.
The company recently postponed its target of achieving a 50 percent EV (plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle) share of sales from 2025 to 2030. Mercedes rolled back its plans to become an EV-only brand by 2030. As a result, the brand decided to extend the lifespan of key ICE models by investing in the electrification of existing engines to ensure regulatory compliance for emissions and other factors "well into the 2030s."
The Mercedes EQS is currently priced at Rs 1.62 crore, while the S-Class is priced between Rs 1.77 crore and Rs 1.86 crore. Mercedes also offers an SUV version of the EQS abroad, which is all set to arrive in India in a Maybach avatar on September 5.