- It’s not just the brand’s gas-powered models that are getting the ultra-luxe treatment — So are its electric offerings, including the new Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV.
- The first Maybach-branded EV gets the design hallmarks you’d expect, from its “grille” to its (optional) two-tone paint job, running boards and massive 21-inch wheels.
- Unlike the standard EQS, there’s no third-row here, while the second row only comes with two seats by default.
- You can get a second-row bench seat to accommodate five, but that’s the maximum capacity of this SUV.
- While luxury is clearly its focus, the 2024 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 does get a more potent set of electric motors for a total output of 649 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque.
Meet the king of Mercedes’ current luxury EVs: the 2024 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV.
Not only is it a luxurious statement, as ever, but it’s one that speaks to more emissions-conscious times.
The automaker’s move here is to bring all the glitz and glamor to its largest electric SUV. However, unlike your everyday EQS 580, this is not a three-row family hauler. Oh no, this is the executive’s chariot, so it comes with just four seats by default. Of course, as with the Mercedes-Maybach GLS, you can upgrade the rear passengers’ experience by fitting a refrigerator with silver-plated champagne flutes. Enlightened plutocrats all throughout the land will be delighted, I’m sure.
If you want to make your Maybach a bit more practical, you can fit it with a second-row bench seat to accommodate five. While both the executive rear seats and the outboard bench seats get fully powered extendable leg rests, though, the middle passenger will just have to sit there like the plebian they are. On balance, most Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 buyers will probably go for the wood or black lacquer bulkhead between the two seats.
Also like the hyper-luxurious GLS, the rear console brings in a removable tablet to mess with the controls, as well as dual 11.6-inch infotainment screens on the front seatbacks. Beyond the Maybach flourishes, the interior otherwise resembles the EQS SUV, complete with supple leather upholstery, the Hyperscreen and the Burmester 4D premium audio system.
Luxury is great, but what about performance?
Honestly, the 536-horsepower EQS SUV 580 is no slouch. The larger ‘680’ number befitting a Mercedes-Maybach variant brings even more to the equation, though, by way of more potent electric motors. With both motors working in tandem, that extra shove amounts to a total 649 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque — or the same as the Mercedes-AMG EQS sedan.
Unlike the hot EQS sedan, though, this doesn’t get the overboost facility that temporarily bumps the power up by another 102 horsepower. Not that you particularly need it anyway, since performance isn’t really the point of the Maybachs. Despite that, Mercedes-Benz says this will still sprint from 0-60 in 4.1 seconds, so you may want to hang onto those champagne flutes if you have an enthusiastic chauffeur (like me, for example).
As with the brand’s other offerings, the air suspension gets an especially cosseting Maybach mode, which makes the ride even smoother for rear seat occupants. As is the way with modern Mercedes EVs, too, the Maybach EQS SUV gets up to 10 degrees of rear-wheel steering as standard fare.
At its core, the 2024 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV uses the same 108.4-kWh unit as the other EQS SUV models. Mercedes says that’s good for 373 miles of range using the European WLTP standard, but don’t expect anywhere close to that here. The EQS 580 SUV manages 285 miles, so I wouldn’t expect this more powerful version to do any better. The Maybach gets a front axle disconnect to help improve efficiency like the normal car, and it does support DC fast charging up to 200 kilowatts, so that helps.
We don’t have any pricing information yet, but the 2024 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 will go on sale this fall.
