Did you ever fantasize about road-tripping in business-class type, however you do not have the money to make that dream a actuality? Properly, the used electrical automobile market is scorching proper now, and it is making seemingly unattainable fashions just like the Mercedes-EQS out there at unbelievably low costs.
The EQS is—in concept, anyway—the S-Class of EVs. It’s the electrical equal of what sure automotive magazines take into account the perfect automotive on the earth or the quintessential luxurious sedan. At a beginning worth of $104,400 earlier than taxes and charges, it’s additionally the costliest electrical sedan within the German automaker’s portfolio.
U.S. consumers don’t have any urge for food for costly EVs.
Excessive MSRP is the largest roadblock to wider adoption of EVs. However shoppers have repeatedly proven, that once they’re priced proper, there is a huge marketplace for them. This sentiment, coupled with an inflow of recent EVs and rising competitors, is driving down the values of used EVs. And the Mercedes-Benz EQS is not resistant to that.
In reality, the EQS has in all probability by no means absolutely lived as much as the “electrical S-Class” concept. As opulent and highly effective as it’s, Mercedes followers did not fairly heat as much as the soap-bar-like rounded styling, and the screen-heavy inside can rub some individuals the unsuitable means. However that does not imply it is not an excellent used worth, particularly with the reductions we’re seeing.
Used EV costs have been crashing currently. And the EQS isn’t resistant to that pattern. Used EQS fashions, with just a few thousand miles on their odometers, at the moment are out there at lower than half of their MSRP. Contemplating what the EV is provided with, the offers appear fairly insane.
On the used automotive shopping for web site Automotive Gurus, there’s a 2023 EQS out there in Freeport, New York, for as little as $41,826 on the time of publication. The itemizing was first noticed by AutoEvolution. That’s lower than the beginning worth of a brand new Tesla Mannequin 3 Lengthy Vary or the entry-level Mannequin Y.
This explicit gray-colored limousine has clocked 26,094 miles. It has a 108.4 kilowatt-hour battery delivering an EPA vary of 352 miles. So theoretically, the battery well being must be fairly good, with minimal degradation. It additionally appears to be like virtually model new, with no seen dents or scratches.
That’s not the one one. A number of different listings throughout the U.S., together with in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, California and Kansas, amongst others present used EQS fashions up for grabs within the $40,000 worth vary. Many can be found within the $50,000 and $60,000 worth brackets as properly, which can also be practically half of its authentic worth.
Most of those trims are the entry-level EQS 450+ fashions. However don’t be fooled by that time period as a result of there’s nothing “entry-level” about this sedan. Its rear-axle mounted motor churns 355 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque, sufficient to spur it from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in 5.8 seconds.
48 Pictures
Normal options which are laborious to search out at this worth embrace rear-axle steering, adaptive dampers, a ton of energetic and passive security options and ambient lighting that adapts to the setting, like visually augmenting alerts from driver-assistance programs. Even with out the MBUX hyperscreen, issues look fairly upmarket. There’s the common 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch central show from the S-Class.
U.S. automotive consumers have made it crystal clear that prime buy costs are a roadblock to the broader adoption of EVs. The overwhelming majority of shoppers aren’t keen to lay our a fortune on big-ticket objects like a automotive. Regardless that these are regrettable resale values for sellers who purchased the EQS with the unique worth, they’re unimaginable offers for others.
Furthermore, gross sales of EQ fashions have been down in current months. EQS sedan and SUV gross sales have been down 46% within the first quarter of this 12 months, whereas general BEV gross sales have been down 4.5%. Mercedes-Benz has additionally canceled the subsequent technology of EQS and EQE platforms attributable to poor gross sales. As a substitute, the present fashions will proceed to get upgrades over time, and Mercedes will work to unveil extra EV variants of its identified lineup, just like the G-Class with EQ Know-how.
The EQS is probably not as svelte as another EVs on the market. However if you wish to journey in opulent type at modest costs, there’s no different choice prefer it available on the market proper now.