Mercedes has officially kicked off its electrification campaign with the introduction of the new EQ C battery-powered crossover. So, what’s next for the German automaker?
The answer is the EQ S, if the latest reports turn out to be accurate. According to Autocar, Daimler is gearing up to introduce a new flagship electric sedan, positioned alongside the S-Class but sized closer to the CLS, and it will be built on an all-new, dedicated electric-vehicle platform.
Details at this early stage are still few and far between, but the EQ S is tipped to pack dual electric motors (one at each axle) in a similar setup to the EQ C, which boasts the equivalent of 402 horsepower (300 kW) and 564 lb-ft (765 Nm) of torque.
It’s slated to be built at Daimler’s main plant at Sindelfingen in Stuttgart, as opposed to the Bremen plant where the EQ C will be built, with deliveries commencing next summer. The EQ S is expected to launch sometime in 2020, around the same time that Mercedes introduces the EQ A compact hatchback to anchor the other end of its electric lineup.
Those three models will be just the beginning, though. Daimler is expected to launch no fewer than 130 electrified vehicles in the coming years, including EQ all-electric vehicles, EQ Power plug-in hybrids and EQ Boost mild hybrids.
Following the EQ C, EQ S, and EQ A, we could see a compact sedan to take on the Tesla Model 3, a compact crossover (similar in size to the forthcoming GLB), and an electric sports car developed by Mercedes-AMG. The Smart brand is also adopting the EQ nomenclature for its electric vehicles as well, and there’ll be more electrified Benzes based on conventional models as well. All of which paints a rather elaborate picture of what the Silver Star automaker has in store for its battery-powered future.