Next-Gen Mercedes-Benz S-Class Will Go Electric, Replacing The EQS

Mercedes-Benz plans to unify the S-Class and EQS flagship saloons into a single model line in the future.

German automaker Mercedes-Benz is reportedly planning to give the S-Class an all-electric variant for its next-gen iteration, where it will be sold alongside its ICE-powered twin. This move is part of the automaker’s plan to streamline its flagship saloon lineup, which will see the demise of the EQS all-electric sedan from its lineup in the future.

Speaking to Autocar UK, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius said that the next-gen S-Class will be offered in both ICE and EV powertrain flavours, where they are expected to adopt similar exterior and interior styling, albeit underpinning two different platforms.

“There will be two S-Classes in the future—ICE and electric,” said Kallenius to Autocar UK.

The CEO further added that despite the earlier rumours about the cancellation of the MB.EA Large architecture, said platform will be used by the new S-Class EV, while its ICE-powered twin will likely underpin an updated version of the MRA (Modular Rear Architecture) used on the current-gen S-Class.

Facelifted Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan (left) & W223-gen Mercedes-Benz S-Class (right)

As for their styling, both the ICE-powered and all-electric S-Classes are expected to boast similar styling cues, which is part of the automaker’s plan to make their future EVs have a strong visual connection to their ICE-powered counterparts. This is the same strategy Mercedes used on the updated G-Class SUV and, in some way, mirrors the strategies used by its Bavarian rival.

Beyond the S-Class/EQS merger, this unification strategy might also make its way to other Mercedes models, with insider sources telling Autocar UK that the next-gen E-Class will also be offered in both ICE and EV versions, thus deeming the EQE EV saloon obsolete from the automaker’s lineup.

The unification of the S-Class and EQS is borne out of the disappointing sales numbers for both models, as deliveries for the S-Class have plummeted by 37% in the first quarter of 2024. This poor sales performance has also prompted Mercedes to cut the production schedule of the S-Class at its Sindelfingen factory in Germany to just a single shift.

Ultimately, this lineup streamlining strategy is part of Mercedes-Benz’s plan to pump the brakes on its all-electric adoption plan, as slow demands for EVs globally have prompted many automakers like Merc to slow down on their electric adoption. Earlier this year, the Stuttgart-based marque postponed its initial target of having 50% of their sales come from EVs and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) by 2025 to 2030.