► First series production electric Maybach on its way
► Will be an opulent parallel to Mercedes sister model
► Promises typical Maybach exclusivity and luxury
Mercedes-Maybach, the ultra-luxury sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz, will preview its first production electric model with the Concept EQS – a fully electric SUV.
Said to be a near-production one-off, the Concept EQS will be familiar to anybody who's seen the current Mercedes-Benz range-toppers, but in typical Maybach fashion it's been slathered with rare and expensive materials as well as various high-tech luxury touches.
Why would I want an electric Maybach?
It may one day be your only choice. Mercedes as a brand has pledged to go fully electric by 2030, and sub-brands such as Maybach won't be able to escape that completely as they share their underlying platforms with Mercedes-Benz models.
The idea of an electric luxury car is a sound one, anyway, as you can see by our five-star review of the Mercedes-Benz EQS. Why wouldn't you want to be whisked along in opulent surroundings in near-total silence, secure in the knowledge that you're contributing nothing to local air pollution?
Maybach hasn't given full details of what exactly powers the Concept EQS, only saying that the underlying architecture allows for an electric range of up to 600km – that's 373 miles. It's fair to assume that under the skin will sit a version of the standard EQS's 107.8kWh battery , but possibly with a more powerful electric motor to deal with the weight of all that sumptuous trim.
Go on then... what's it like on the inside?
The interior's always the place to be in a Maybach – specifically the back seat, in a car that lends itself so much to being driven around in that there's even a 'Chauffeur Package' available on the options list.
Of course, you won't have to do anything as common as opening your own door. On approaching the vehicle, the driver's door opens automatically, after which the rear doors can also be triggered. Maybach claims the interior is like being on board 'an elegant yacht' with new door panels designed like 'high-quality sideboards' and trim elements in white piano lacquer and deep-sea blue.
There's a 'First-Class' rear suite, which eschews the bench you'd find in the EQS for two individual rear chairs. Expect these to adjust, recline, massage, heat and cool you to your hearts content – and Maybach says it's made the calf rest even larger, so your feet can 'float above the "faux fur" floor covering'. It's the little things, isn't it?
A centre console divides the car and includes a flower vase as standard, so your gardener has somewhere to place seasonal blooms. Underneath, there's a large storage area which can be swapped out for a refrigerated unit if required.
Interior trim colours will likely be infinitely customisable on the production model, for the Concept EQS Mercedes has chosen the aforementioned white and deep blue plus white chrome and rose gold.
Looks rather techy!
It's meant to. Mercedes-Maybach recognises that in the age of TikTok megastars and Onlyfans millionaires, buyers of luxury vehicles are getting younger.
'Many of our Mercedes-Maybach customers are digitally connected to a high degree and place the highest demands on our digital solutions,' said Britta Seeger, board member at Daimler AG. 'They also expect the brand of their choice to stand up for sustainable values and take responsibility for the environment.
'The Concept Mercedes-Maybach EQS fulfils all these points and embodies sophisticated luxury in a more progressive way: the all-electric powertrain not only makes consistently sustainable mobility possible, but also enables a new level of calm and relaxation for passengers.'
To that end, you get the full-width MBUX Hyperscreen we've already seen on the EQS, with displays for driver, passenger, and anyone else who wants one. It's fitted with artificial intelligence intended to notice patterns in your driving behaviours and make suggestions based on those. We're sure the chauffeur will be very happy with it.
Can I buy one?
Not yet. The Concept EQS is, as its name suggests, still in the concept phase. Maybach also admits that the standard Mercedes-Benz model – confusingly named EQS SUV – will precede the Maybach variant to production, arriving in 2022.
Maybe consider selling one of your diamond mines if you want one though, as we're sure it'll be fairly spendy.