New electronics are set to bring added energy savings to all-wheel-drive versions of Mercedes-Benz’s electric sedan flagship, as part of 2024 model-year changes.
Selected versions of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS electric car are set to receive a boost in power and energy efficiency as part of model-year changes, European officials from the German car-maker have confirmed to Drive.
The performance increase is achieved through an update to the EQS sedan’s power electronics, Mercedes-Benz dealers in Europe have been advised – while the ability to disconnect the front electric motor has increased claimed driving range on all-wheel-drive versions.
The changes affect the sole EQS variant on sale in Australia, the all-wheel-drive Mercedes-AMG EQS53 4Matic+, as well as the standard Mercedes-Benz EQS450 4Matic model due in local showrooms this July.
A Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson told Drive the company has “nothing new to announce for our market” for the AMG EQS53, and that “final pricing and specification for the EQS450 4Matic” are yet to be announced.
In Europe, power electronics changes have unlocked an additional 20kW in the rear-wheel-drive EQS450+ and all-wheel-drive EQS450 4Matic – taking them to 285kW, from 265kW today – and 15kW in the EQS580 4Matic, for 415kW in total (from 400kW).
Mercedes-Benz has also equipped the EQS sedan with a disconnect unit, which allows the front electric motor to be disengaged on all-wheel-drive versions under light accelerator-pedal loads, and while cruising for increased efficiency and energy saving.
Introduced on the smaller EQE SUV, the new unit allows for a 23km increase in claimed WLTP driving range for the EQS450 4Matic, which has been revised from between 580km and 696km, to between 589km and 719km.
A similar increase in range is touted for the EQS500 4Matic sedan, which is now also rated at between 489km and 719km.
The claimed WLTP range of the EQS580 4Matic has increased by 25km, from an earlier 581-692km, to between 589km and 717km, according to preliminary figures supplied by Mercedes-Benz to its German dealer network.
Drive has also been told the AMG EQS53 4Matic+ has gained an added 3km of range with a newly-certified WLTP range figure of 513km to 571km.
All EQS sedan models with all-wheel drive use a 107.8kWh battery.
The EQS sedan’s front motor disconnect unit is also set to be adopted by the EQE sedan (on sale in Australia now) and EQS SUV (due in Australia in the coming months) in Europe by the end of 2023 to provide them with similar energy savings.
Further updates brought to the EQS sedan include a heat pump unit in place of the earlier air compressor.
Although it does not bring any change in the official WLTP range figures, Mercedes-Benz claims its lower energy requirement and greater efficiency lead to improvements in real-world efficiency and driving range.
Further changes to the EQS sedan include new dashboard trim and paint colour options. The AMG EQS53 4Matic+ is set to receive a 22kW on-board charger as standard equipment in Europe in place of the 11kW charger offered today.
The post Mercedes-Benz EQS electric sedan to get more power and driving range appeared first on Drive.