The Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV has been officially launched in Malaysia, two years after the uber-luxury high-rider was first shown to the world. It asks for RM1,088,888, on-the-road before insurance in Peninsular Malaysia, and including 10% sales tax.
Maybach’s first EV comes in a sole two-motor, all-wheel drive EQS 680 variant, with a total of 658 PS and 950 Nm of torque, plus a 396-volt electrical system. Charge it at the max 22 kW AC and you’ll go from empty to full in six hours 15 minutes; plug in at a max 200 kW DC and you’ll go from 10% to 80% SoC in 31 minutes.
A 118 kWh (useable) battery yields a 560-608 km WLTP range, with an energy consumption between 23.7 and 21.7 kWh/100 km touted. You’ll hit 100 km/h from rest in 4.4 seconds and top out at 210 km/h.
The EQS SUV is 5,125 mm long, 2,034 mm wide and 1,721 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 3,210 mm. In comparison, its combustion-engined sibling, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4Matic is 5,207 mm long, 1,956 mm wide and 1,850 mm tall, with 3,135 mm between the front and rear axles.
It looks the part as a Maybach – the black (closed) fascia with chrome-plated vertical trim strips, and the full-width front light bar bridging the Digital Light headlamps (these do a light show as you approach/exit the vehicle). All doors, which are all powered, have an animated projection of the Maybach graphic.
Along the side you can see the two-tone colour scheme with a hand-painted pinstripe – a Maybach hallmark. The A-pillar holds an ‘EQS’ badge; the D-pillar the Maybach emblem. Those are 21-inch forged alloys.
Like up front, the rear also features full-width lighting, and it’s animated across its width. There’s chrome trim on the tailgate, rear apron and lip spoiler.
The Maybach EQS SUV gets Airmatic air suspension with continuously adjustable damping as standard, and this can raise the vehicle by 25 mm further off the ground for increased ground clearance. Rear-axle steering enables the rear wheels to be steered by up to 10 degrees, reducing the turning circle by almost two metres.
The Maybach mode is the default drive mode, and ensures that body movements as experienced from the rear seats are kept to a minimum, with an oscillation node located beneath the rear seats to ensure amplitudes are at their lowest, and thus offer the best possible passenger comfort.
Inside, the MBUX Hyperscreen has Maybach-specific start-up animations on all three displays. The central display begins with the home screen and the so-called ‘zero layer’, where the navigation map display is emphasised. The driver can carry out 80% commonly used interactions directly without leaving the home screen, and this can be personalised with suggestions by the system.
Each of the rear passengers get an 11.6-inch display mounted to the front seat backrests. The standard-fit MBUX High-End Rear Seat Entertainment setup also enables rear-seat occupants to choose and modify the vehicle’s navigation destination from the rear seats.
Standard equipment also includes the MBUX rear tablet which can be used outside the vehicle, and cameras help the system recognise body and hand gestures to call upon selected functions, such as switching on the reading lights.
Upholstery is Maybach Exclusive Nappa leather in espresso brown and balao brown pearl (optionally, macchiato beige and bronze brown pearl, or Manufaktur Exclusive Nappa leather in crystal white and silver grey pearl). There’s Manufaktur brown open-pore walnut wood trim, paired with the centre console in Manufaktur open-pore brown walnut wood – Manufaktur brown open-pore birch wood and Manufaktur piano lacquer black flowing lines are options.
Rear occupants sit on Executive seats which are equipped with ventilation and massage functions along with neck and shoulder heating, plus calf massage. The Chauffeur Package automatically moves the front seat forward when the passenger-side rear occupant reclines their seat.
The First Class Rear specification brings a centre console that continues from the front and runs between the rear seats, with equipment following those in the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class such as thermal cupholders and a shelf for the MBUX rear seat tablet.
Also on are four fast-charging USB-C ports, two HDMI interfaces and two folding tables. On request, the centre console can include a fridge with space for champagne bottles and bespoke flute holders.
Ambient lighting in the Maybach EQS SUV runs the length of the cabin, while a range of lighting options ranging from work applications to relaxing lounge ambience are available. Light colour settings vary automatically according to the human daily rhythm, but can also be manually adjusted.
For air quality and scents, the HEPA filter equipped air-conditioning system can be pre-conditioned to clean the air before occupants board, and if the quality of the outside air is low, the system can also make recommendations to close the side windows or sunroof. Here, the Maybach EQS SUV also gets its own fragrance for the standard Air Balance Package, dubbed No. 12 Mood Ebony.
Music is piped through 15 Burmester 4D surround speakers. A Maybach-specific driving sound has been designed for the Maybach EQS SUV; named Aerial Grace, this is interactive and reacts to different parameters including accelerator pedal position, speed and energy recuperation.
As with recent Maybach models, the Dynamic Select range of driving modes in the Maybach EQS SUV brings the Maybach drive mode that replaces the Comfort mode in other Mercedes-Benz models; this is joined by the usual selection of Eco, Sport, Offroad and Individual.
Silver/Obsidian Black, Silver/Nautical Blue, Obsidian Black/Selenite Grey, Obsidian Black/Kalahari Gold and Velvet Brown/Onyx Black exterior colour combos are available.
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