Mercedes-Benz debuts electric SUV in UAE: Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East made the regional debut of its all-electric EQS SUV during the Mobility Live 2023 conference in Abu Dhabi, according to a statement. A timeline on the EV’s rollout in the country and the wider MENA region has not been disclosed.

The specs: The seven-seater EV has a range of up to 617 km — one of the highest among all EVs — with a more modest output of up to 400 kW, putting it in 68th place in the EV market in terms of power. The EQS 580 SUV produces 536 horsepower, has a 633 pound-force foot of torque between its rear and front electric engines, while the EQS450 has 355 horsepower, and 419 pound-feet of torque. The EV packs an energy-dense battery with high charging performance of up to 200kW and 250 km WLTP range in 15 minutes, the statement notes.

The bells and whistles: The SUV packs an MBUX Hyperscreen extending the length of the car’s entire 56 inch dashboard, two 11.6 inch display screens for backseat passengers, a Dolby Atmos sound system, sports a panoramic roof, and offers front passengers a “personalized and intuitive” driving experience through the car’s artificial intelligence-powered MBUX Zero Layer operating system, which aside from infotainment also sets out navigation plans to connect drivers to rapid charging stations.

What’s the price tag? The EV will cost between USD 105.5k for its EQS450 + Premium SUV to USD 133.3k for the highest category of the car, the EQS580 4Matic Pinnacle SUV, according to Car and Driver.

Mercedes just updated their strategy for EV SUVs: Mercedes-Benz Vans is targeting an up to 20% EV share by 2026 and more than 50% by 2030, according to their website. So far, Mercedes has sold 40k eVans worldwide.