Mercedes Admits the World Wasn’t Ready for the EQS

When Mercedes-Benz launched its electric flagship, the EQS, with great fanfare four years ago, it imagined a world bowing in gratitude. But instead of applause, the audience looked on with confusion—and, frankly, skepticism. Now, years later, Mercedes is finally offering a candid explanation: people just didn’t get it. Or at least that’s what chief designer Gorden Wagener would like to believe.

According to him, the EQS was simply “too progressive.” It was never meant to be a battery-powered S-Class. It was something far beyond that. Or so Mercedes insists.

Wagener also admits a marketing misstep. If the EQS had been presented as a futuristic CLS or an S-Class coupé, it might have received a warmer welcome. Instead, the public saw a strange, shapeless blob, not the luxury they expect from Mercedes-Benz.

An attempt was made in spring 2024 to freshen it up with some subtle tweaks—silvery stripes on the front grille and a hood-mounted logo—but the core design remained unchanged, and customers remained unmoved.

And now, the somber truth is out: there will be no second generation of the EQS. Instead, the model will be merged with the S-Class, much like BMW’s integration of the 7 Series and the i7. The next S-Class, which will come in both combustion and electric versions, is not expected before 2030. The EQS will receive one final update, this time focused more on technical improvements than cosmetic ones.