Mercedes-Benz starts assembling EQS SUV in India
Mercedes-Benz assembles the EQS SUV at the Chakan factory in the 580 4MATIC variant from imported knocked-down kits. Unlike the US and Europe, India is a small market for luxury cars. Still, the minor localisation allows the company to save big on import duty and price the EV attractively. The company sells the EQS SUV 580 4MATIC for 14.1 million rupees (about €151,000) and the Maybach EQS SUV 680, which it imports in a completely built unit (CBU) form, for 22.5 million rupees (around €241,000). For reference, the gap between the two models is significantly lower in Germany, with a price difference of less than 53,000 euros.
Mercedes-Benz offers the EQS SUV 580 4MATIC in five- and seven-seat versions globally, but it only sells the latter in India. The company uses two motors that develop 400 kW and 858 Nm of torque in the full-size electric SUV, giving it a 0-100 kph acceleration time of 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 210 kph.
The seven-seat EQS SUV 580 4MATIC features a 122 kWh (net) battery pack that delivers an ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India)- rated range of 809 km. Santosh Iyer, Managing Director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz’s Indian subsidiary, said at the launch that the company achieved a real-world range of around 650+ km when it tested the model around Pune. Customers can charge the battery pack at 200 kW and add up to 260 km of range in 15 minutes.
Mercedes-Benz only uses green energy to operate the Chakan plant, Vyankatesh Kulkarni, the company’s Executive Director and Head of Operations in India, said. The German automaker assembles ICE and electric models on the same line.
In addition to the EQS SUV, the company assembles the EQS sedan at the Chakan plant, also in the 580 4MATIC variant. Since its launch in September 2022, it has sold more than 500 units of the EQS 580 4MATIC, Iyer said. It offers the EQS AMG 53 4MATIC+ variant as well but as a significantly more expensive CBU import.
With the launch of the EQS SUV, Mercedes-Benz expanded its EV line-up in India to six models. In addition to introducing new products, the company is gradually building an independent charging network to give EV customers a better ownership experience. It has installed more than 100 AC chargers and 40 60-200 kW DC chargers in the country, Iyer said. The local brand boss added that it plans to add ten more DC chargers to its network by the end of this year.
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