This fall, you can buy the expensive Mercedes-Maybach EQS680 SUV if you want an EV and a luxurious hideaway. Even though it’s a big car, the EQS doesn’t have a third row, and the second row has different seats instead of a bench. The motors in the front and back make the same 649 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque as the motors in the Mercedes-AMG EQS car. The most influential people in the world often fly privately, which is a very carbon-intensive way to get around. However, when they are on the ground, they may make a statement about caring for the environment. Mercedes-Benz is aware of this trend, so the Mercedes-Maybach EQS680 SUV will be the first electric vehicle under the Maybach sub-brand. Based on the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, the Maybach version has the logo’s unique shell of extra shine and plush luxury. The extra shine starts with the front looking like a Maybach. Instead of the prominent front grille found on the brand’s gas-powered cars, an entire front fascia with the brand’s signature vertical metal bars is used. The stand-up hood ornament is another nod to the car’s history, but it has a Mercedes star with three points instead of the Maybach logo. Don’t worry; the outside is covered with different Maybach logos. For example, the outside pieces of the lower front bumper have a lot of symbols on them. The thick chrome band around the side windows and the extra-large wheels (21 inches at the beginning and 22 inches later) indicate that the car is a Maybach. You don’t have to use two-tone paint. There are standard running boards and LED running boards. The EQS SUV has a proper third row of seats that the Maybach doesn’t have. (It is thought that buyers will ask for a second Maybach if they need to carry more than five people.) There is also a bench seat for three people, but the one we saw had individual seats in the back. This feature is also on the outside of the bench, and each chair has a fully powered leg rest that can be pulled out. The space for luggage is entirely closed off by a fixed bulkhead behind the seats. The divider between the individual rear seats is made of the same wood or black lacquer trim as the dashboard, door panels, front seatbacks, and console. Both have striped metal inlays. There is a secret door between the backseats that leads to a refrigerator. The center console has two sets of cupholders. One of the sets has clips at the bottom to hold stemware, like the optional silver-plated champagne flutes. This is where the chilled champagne would go. But because the fridge unit takes up a lot of space in the trunk, it can be taken out if the trip requires more Louis Vuitton bags and fewer cold bottles of champagne. The back center also has a tablet that can be removed, and the front seatbacks have 11.6-inch touchscreens. The Maybach name is on stylized lamps on the C-pillars, and the ambient lighting uses Maybach-specific color schemes. There are also pillows. Small ones are attached to the headrests in the front and back, and bigger ones are in the back seats. Even though the brakes are better, the driver’s environment is not much different from the Mercedes EQS SUV. There is, of course, the Hyperscreen, as well as a Maybach-specific welcome screen and a choice to show the instrument cluster. If people don’t want to listen to anything on the standard 4D Burmeister stereo, they can choose one of the fake “soundscapes” available only in Maybachs. No. 12 Mood Ebony is a scent made to go with the built-in ionizer. It doesn’t smell like money, though. Instead, it has a mix of cedar and spices. The Maybach EQS SUV has more powerful Mercedes-AMG electric motors than the EQS580 SUV, which had an engine with 536 hp. The front and back motors each make 649 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque, the same as the Mercedes-AMG EQS car. However, the AMG’s boost option, which temporarily increases output to 751 horsepower, is not included. Mercedes still goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.1 seconds. The suspension’s air springs and adjustable dampers are tuned just for the Maybach, and the Comfort mode has been replaced by a “Maybach” mode that makes the ride smoother for people in the back. Standard four-wheel steering makes the car more agile, and the rear wheels can turn 10 degrees. The European WLTP cycle says that a 108.4-kW battery, the same as the one in the Benz, can go 372 miles. The Maybach EQS gets the heat-pump air conditioning system and newly added front-axle split from the EQE SUV. The Maybach EQS can charge up to 200 kilowatts at a time. This fall, you’ll be able to buy the Mercedes-Maybach EQS680 SUV.
