2024 Mercedes EQE & EQS Getting Upgraded Batteries With More Range

Mercedes-Benz USA representatives have confirmed that the 2024 EQS SUV will receive a larger battery pack. “I can confirm that in the US for MY24, the EQS SUV gets a new battery pack with 118 kWh usable capacity. Range estimates with the new battery are not available until closer to market launch, scheduled for Q1 next year,” said the company in a statement.
 

The EQS SUV hasn’t been around for long, but it seems Mercedes-Benz is already working on a new update to keep it competitive and appealing in today’s competitive EV segment.
 
Per Autocar, the electric luxury SUV will receive an improved battery, with a 10 kWh increase in usable capacity. This doesn’t tell us whether the 108.4 kWh overall capacity will increase or if refinements in its design have simply made it more efficient. These changes will reportedly occur towards the end of 2023 production, meaning the revision is imminent.
 
Company insiders told the publication that the new battery has a different chemical process. This will reportedly result in reduced operating temperatures and superior energy efficiency. CarBuzz has contacted MBUSA to learn more about the upgrade and will update the article once a reply is received.
 
Can we expect an improvement in driving range? Based on the WLTP figures, the range of the EQS SUV will benefit significantly from the new battery. The entry-level EQS 450+ SUV with rear-wheel drive will reportedly receive a 31-mile bump on the WLTP cycle, but the EPA’s testing is stricter, so we have no guarantees of a similar increase should this upgrade also apply to American market models.
 
The EQS 450 SUV with 4Matic is set to gain an additional 35 miles of range, boosting the total WLTP-estimated range to 418 miles. Stateside, this model is capable of an EPA-rated 285 miles. If Mercedes can surpass the 300-mile mark, the 450 4Matic would appeal to a broader audience.
 
Lastly, the range-topping 580 4Matic will see its WLTP range increase by 36 miles, for a total of 418 miles. Like the 450 4Matic, the 580 has an EPA-estimated range of 285 miles.
 

While Mercedes hasn’t announced any details, Autocar claims the new battery pack could make the EQS SUV heavier by as much as 130 pounds. That’s quite the added heft, especially considering the 580 derivative weighs 6,228 lbs in its current configuration. It remains to be seen whether the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 (which recently arrived in the USA) will receive the same upgrades.
 
It’s not just the EQS SUV that will receive an improved battery. The EQE and EQS sedans will also benefit from upgrades in 2024. The 89 kWh battery will make way for a new 91 kWh pack, while the existing 91 kWh battery pack will be replaced with a 96 kWh unit.
 
Fitted with the 96 kWh battery, the rear-wheel drive EQE 350+ will receive a 20-mile boost in range (on the WLTP cycle) for 390 miles. As a reminder, this model has an EPA estimate of 305 miles.
 
Furthermore, the EQE 500 4Matic will get a range increase of 32 miles for 375 miles. American-spec EQE 500 models have a claimed range estimate of 260 miles, so customers will welcome an improvement. Interestingly, the EQE AMG models (only the 53 derivative is sold here) will continue to be equipped with the 91 kWh battery.
 
All these vehicles are relatively new, but we suspect that a lukewarm reception from buyers and dealers has prompted Mercedes to bolster the range. However, this is a band-aid on a bullet wound, and the entire Merc EQ range needs rethinking if it is to find mainstream commercial success.