Thomas from Autogefühl drives the refreshed Mercedes EQS, and the battery story alone earns attention. The large pack is now 122 kWh net. The small pack jumps to 112 kWh net, a 16 kWh increase that is actually the bigger story since it starts at a lower price. Both now charge on a new 800V architecture, with a built-in DC-to-DC converter so the car also works at 400V stations without an adapter. Peak charging rate is 330 kW for the smaller battery and 350 kW for the larger. That translates to 10-80% in about 25 minutes for the small pack and 27 minutes for the large one.
In Germany, the entry price drops to 94,000 euros, which brings the EQS below the threshold that affects company car taxation in many European markets. The fully loaded EQS 580 with the big battery, all-wheel drive, and options can still climb well above 135,000 euros.
The EQS 580 produces the equivalent of about 536 hp from one motor in the rear and one in the front, with a 0-to-100 km/h time of 4.2 seconds. The car is 5.23 meters long with a 0.20 Cd drag coefficient, one of the most aerodynamic production vehicles available. Trunk volume is 610 liters. There is no frunk: Mercedes fitted a large HEPA filter under the hood. Rear seat comfort is described as decent but short of the S-Class standard, with a high floor angle that limits long-trip comfort. Rear screens are now larger as an option.
The headline optional technology is steer-by-wire, which pairs with a flat Formula 1-style steering wheel. There is no mechanical column connecting the wheel to the axle; two redundant systems run in parallel for safety. In practice, what used to require two full rotations lock-to-lock now takes a fraction of a turn. Thomas runs the car through a tight obstacle course back-to-back with a pre-facelift EQS running standard steering with 4.5-degree rear-axle steering, and the difference in effort is significant. The steer-by-wire car also includes 10-degree rear-axle steering. Standard cars get 4.5 degrees, with 10 degrees available as a software unlock at extra cost.
Mercedes says a classic round steering wheel will also be available with steer-by-wire in future. For now, the F1 wheel comes bundled with the system. Real buttons remain on both wheel options, which Thomas notes is a meaningful choice at a time when many brands are removing them. The exterior design has been updated to align with Mercedes' current Electric Art language, moving away from the closed-off look that divided opinion when the EQS launched.