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Mercedes launches AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ in India; plans two more EVs in aggressive push

'We are fully committed and very bullish to a fully electric future'

mercnew Mercedes AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ | Amey Mansabdar

Luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz has aggressive plans in the small but growing electric vehicle (EV) market in India. Two years after launching the EQC, the German car giant is getting ready to launch three EVs in India in the next four months, Martin Schwenk, the MD and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India said on Wednesday.

"At Mercedes-Benz, we see electric as the future and EVs will define the future of mobility. Foreseeing a strong demand for luxury EVs, we expect EVs to account for around 25 per cent of our sales volumes in five years. This number was unthinkable even two years ago when we launched the EQC in India," he said.

On Wednesday, Mercedes-Benz launched the Mercedes AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+, an all-electric luxury saloon. This will be followed by the EQS 580 4MATIC, which will be assembled in India and rolled out in September. Later the company will launch the EQB, Mercedes' first seven-seater EV in India, by the middle of the fourth quarter of this year. 

"We are fully committed and very bullish to a fully electric future and electric brand Mercedes in India. These new vehicles will advance the EV adoption and we will sooner meet the tipping point in the transition," said Schwenk.

The Mercedes AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ launched today will be imported and sold as a completely built unit (CBU). It will cost Rs 2.45 crore ex-showroom.

This car, which is the first all-electric AMG production model based on Mercedes EQ architecture for luxury vehicles, can go from 0-100 in just 3.4 seconds. It features a 107.8 kWh battery and has a range of 529-586 km, based on WLTP (worldwide harmonized light vehicle test procedure) standards. 

EV sales in India have been growing. But, the limited charging infrastructure has been an issue. 

Mercedes-Benz is investing over Rs 15 crore with franchise partners for creating an ultra-fast charging network. By end of 2022, it plans to cover 80 per cent of India, which it says will be the largest ultra-fast charging network by a luxury car maker.

The charging network will comprise 140 chargers and will be a mix of 22 kw chargers, 60 kw chargers and ultrafast DC chargers.

"We have mapped all major travel routes across India to provide worry-free recharge," said Schwenk.

The ultra-fast charging network will be exclusively made available for Mercedes customers and customers will be able to charge their vehicles for free in the first year, he added.

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