Fast estate/SUV (U.K.) - but electric?!
Discussion
DMZ said:
Maybe I'm being a bit contrarian, but if range is the all important metric then why bother with an EV in the first place?
Dealt with by the OP in the original post but it boils Because Tax. The BIK implications (if a company car) or plain income tax if not (because you can salary sacrifice many EV purchases) mean that you end up paying significantly more for a diesel/petrol car with the "same" list price as an EV (and then you have tax on top, more fuel costs etc than the EV).
raspy said:
SWoll said:
The only EV's to get close to that kind of average are small, low powered and lightweight cars like the BMW i3 and VW e-Up and only then in optimum conditions.
Even Edmunds often over stated EV real world test loop only managed 420 miles in perfect conditions. Real world 350-400 appears to be about the best you can expect based on numerous reviews I've seen, whihc is still impressive for such a large car.
I'm getting 4.2 miles per kwh consistently in the last 3 weeks out of a Mokka-e, even with climate control on when it's <15C ambient temp, and I'm not exactly accelerating gently to preserve battery either. Even Edmunds often over stated EV real world test loop only managed 420 miles in perfect conditions. Real world 350-400 appears to be about the best you can expect based on numerous reviews I've seen, whihc is still impressive for such a large car.
DMZ said:
Maybe I'm being a bit contrarian, but if range is the all important metric then why bother with an EV in the first place? Obviously longer range is great and all that but there is virtually nothing about an EQS that appeals to me and if I wanted that kind of thing then I would get an S-class with zero hassle. Why spend very big money on an EQS when you are mostly getting something that is inferior to an equivalent diesel S-class? If everything gets improved range/efficiency then an invalid argument of course, at least if that improved range doesn't come with "improved" pricing.
Mercedes does some pretty compelling "de" models where you get electricity in local/urban driving and diesel power when you want to get places. That makes sense to me. I think you can also get a "fast estate" in that kind of configuration, maybe the petrol electric alternatives.
Other than it's absolute range (which is still very good) there's no reason why the EQS shouldn't be a far better luxury road car than the S-Class. Refinement, comfort, tech and interior space are all areas where EV's usually excel. That's the S-Class raison d'être in a nutshell? Mercedes does some pretty compelling "de" models where you get electricity in local/urban driving and diesel power when you want to get places. That makes sense to me. I think you can also get a "fast estate" in that kind of configuration, maybe the petrol electric alternatives.
SWoll said:
Other than it's absolute range (which is still very good) there's no reason why the EQS shouldn't be a far better luxury road car than the S-Class. Refinement, comfort, tech and interior space are all areas where EV's usually excel. That's the S-Class raison d'être in a nutshell?
People seem to mistake the EQS as an electric S class, when it's not. It's a completely separate product category. The person who buys a S class (diesel or petrol) for their own use is not the same person who will choose to buy an EQS. S class buyers are older and much more traditional. Stuff like EQS are low volume cars to showcase MB latest EV engineering, and they will be developing and selling petrol/diesel S classes for many years to come.
In order to get the headline grabbing range, MB have had to make compromises with the EQS. It is cramped in the rear (headroom) if you are tall due to the sloping rear roof which is for optimal aerodynamics. The BMW i7 looks to have a much better setup in the rear, for those that value interior space in the back.
The ride is ahem, compromised, thumping over some bumps, due to how heavy the battery is and what they had to do with the suspension as a result. Compromised when you compare it with the ride of top ICE luxury saloons. I'm sure that the average joe would still find it very comfy compared to their Tesla/ID3 though.
Oh and the brakes are truly awful in terms of how they have been designed. I thought it people being fussy in the reviews, but it's awful how you press the brake pedal so far, and nothing happens.
raspy said:
SWoll said:
Other than it's absolute range (which is still very good) there's no reason why the EQS shouldn't be a far better luxury road car than the S-Class. Refinement, comfort, tech and interior space are all areas where EV's usually excel. That's the S-Class raison d'être in a nutshell?
People seem to mistake the EQS as an electric S class, when it's not. It's a completely separate product category. The person who buys a S class (diesel or petrol) for their own use is not the same person who will choose to buy an EQS. S class buyers are older and much more traditional. Stuff like EQS are low volume cars to showcase MB latest EV engineering, and they will be developing and selling petrol/diesel S classes for many years to come.
In order to get the headline grabbing range, MB have had to make compromises with the EQS. It is cramped in the rear (headroom) if you are tall due to the sloping rear roof which is for optimal aerodynamics. The BMW i7 looks to have a much better setup in the rear, for those that value interior space in the back.
The ride is ahem, compromised, thumping over some bumps, due to how heavy the battery is and what they had to do with the suspension as a result. Compromised when you compare it with the ride of top ICE luxury saloons. I'm sure that the average joe would still find it very comfy compared to their Tesla/ID3 though.
Oh and the brakes are truly awful in terms of how they have been designed. I thought it people being fussy in the reviews, but it's awful how you press the brake pedal so far, and nothing happens.
Pretty much all current gen EV's are low volume cars, the market still isn't there for them yet compared to ICE.
Edited by SWoll on Thursday 15th September 21:08
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