An electric luxury Mercedes-Benz sedan, rivalling the upcoming zero-emissions Jaguar XJ and next-generation electric Audi A8, will launch around 2020, according to the company’s large-cars project boss Michael Kelz.
Unlike Jaguar and Audi, the Mercedes-Benz sedan will not be a variant of an existing member of the line-up – in this case, the S-class – and instead will be a separate model. The model will be based on a new modular architecture called MEA.
“We will have an electric vehicle at the level of the S-class, no doubt, but it will not be the S-class,” said Kelz to our sister publication, Autocar UK.
The luxury saloon will sit in the new EQ electric range alongside models already seen in concept form – the EQ A hatchback and EQ C SUV – as well as a lower-ranking electric sedan that's more comparable to the C-class.
Mercedes has trademarked a number of names last year under the EQ brand, including EQ S, which will be the model name for the S-class’ electric counterpart. “It will be a luxury, electric car, a top-of-the-line car,” said Kelz.
In India, Mercedes has just launched the refreshed S-class with a BS-VI engine.