Mercedes has unveiled its first ultra-luxury electric vehicle, the Maybach EQS SUV.
Maybach has made a name for itself by taking the already well-known premium driving experience of Mercedes and taking it to another level. The brand’s most recognizable vehicle, the Maybach S-Class, challenges the luxury and price tag of Rolls-Royce and often does so quite successfully. Now, Mercedes has introduced its first ultra-luxury electric vehicle, the Maybach EQS SUV.
If it isn’t apparent from the vehicle’s profile and name, the Maybach EQS SUV is based on the Mercedes EQS SUV, which is already a luxury offering in its own right. However, with an expected price tag north of $200,000, it makes its Mercedes counterpart look like an affordable offering.
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- Credit: Mercedes-Maybach
Besides the noticeable styling changes, primarily in paintwork and trim pieces, the Maybach EQS SUV receives a modest mechanical upgrade over the already well-performing EQS SUV. First, the vehicle comes standard as a dual motor all-wheel-drive configuration, but it now produces a massive 649 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. Despite the increase in power output and no physical capacity change to the battery (107.8kWh), the Maybach achieves roughly 70 more miles of range, 372 miles on a full charge.
The Maybach still charges in the same respectable 30 minutes from 10-80% as the Mercedes EQS SUV.
“The Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is a milestone in our brand history, says Daniel Lescow, Head of Mercedes-Maybach. “For us, it embodies nothing less than the redefinition of automotive excellence in the age of electromobility. Our customers can look forward to an absolutely top-class electric driving experience – with the aura of the extraordinary that is typical of Maybach.”
Ironically, while the performance bump is undoubtedly a welcome inclusion, Maybach, as usual, has made its focus clear; an incredible interior experience.
The Mercedes Maybach team has woven incredible comfort and luxury with the highest tech and suitability possible. Materials throughout the cabin, including the Nappa leather, aluminum trim, and suede accents, have all been responsibly sourced or made from recycled materials. As for the tech offering, it is top-notch. Both from and rear passengers have access to massive screens and a suite of seat comfort settings fit for those who can afford to be driven in them.
This focus on tech and interior software experience is even noted by Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management Mercedes-Benz, in his statement on the unveiling. “The Mercedes‑Maybach EQS SUV unites our ambition to lead in digital and electric with our focus on the luxury segment. The very first all-electric vehicle from Mercedes-Maybach complements the best technologies from Mercedes‑Benz with the extra comfort and individual details that are only available from Mercedes‑Maybach.”
While the Maybach offering will certainly not be a mass-market seller, the brand is often the pioneer of technologies and materials that eventually make their way to entry-level Mercedes offerings. Mercedes has previously noted that it will be using an increasing amount of recycled materials within its vehicles, and hopefully, the Maybach EQS SUV is just the tip of the iceberg.
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Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announces major update with texting and driving on FSD
“Depending on context of surrounding traffic, yes,” Musk said in regards to FSD v14.2.1 allowing texting and driving.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced a major update with texting and driving capabilities on Full Self-Driving v14.2.1, the company’s latest version of the FSD suite.
Tesla Full Self-Driving, even in its most mature and capable versions, is still a Level 2 autonomous driving suite, meaning it requires attention from the vehicle operator.
You cannot sleep, and you should not take attention away from driving; ultimately, you are still solely responsible for what happens with the car.
The vehicles utilize a cabin-facing camera to enable attention monitoring, and if you take your eyes off the road for too long, you will be admonished and advised to pay attention. After five strikes, FSD and Autopilot will be disabled.
However, Musk announced at the Annual Shareholder Meeting in early November that the company would look at the statistics, but it aimed to allow people to text and drive “within the next month or two.”
He said:
“I am confident that, within the next month or two, we’re gonna look at the safety statistics, but we will allow you to text and drive.”
“I am confident that, within the next month or two, we’re gonna look at the safety statistics, but we will allow you to text and drive.”
Does anyone think v14.3 will enable this? pic.twitter.com/N2yn0SK70M
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 23, 2025
Today, Musk confirmed that the current version of Full Self-Driving, which is FSD v14.2.1, does allow for texting and driving “depending on context of surrounding traffic.”
Depending on context of surrounding traffic, yes
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 4, 2025
There are some legitimate questions with this capability, especially as laws in all 50 U.S. states specifically prohibit texting and driving. It will be interesting to see the legality of it, because if a police officer sees you texting, they won’t know that you’re on Full Self-Driving, and you’ll likely be pulled over.
Some states prohibit drivers from even holding a phone when the car is in motion.
It is certainly a move toward unsupervised Full Self-Driving operation, but it is worth noting that Musk’s words state it will only allow the vehicle operator to do it depending on the context of surrounding traffic.
He did not outline any specific conditions that FSD would allow a driver to text and drive.
News
Tesla Semi just got a huge vote of confidence from 300-truck fleet
The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.
The Tesla Semi is moving closer to broader fleet adoption, with Keller Logistics Group wrapping up a key pre-production planning session with the electric vehicle maker’s team this week.
The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.
Keller’s pre-production Tesla Semi sessions
Keller Logistics Group, a family-owned carrier with over 300 tractors and 1,000 trailers operating in the Midwest and Southeast, completed the session to assess the Tesla Semi’s fit for its operations. The company’s routes typically span 500-600 miles per day, positioning it as an ideal tester for the Semi’s day cab configuration in standard logistics scenarios.
Details remain under mutual NDA, but the meeting reportedly focused on matching the truck to yard, shuttle and regional applications while scrutinizing economics like infrastructure, maintenance and incentives.
What Keller’s executives are saying
CEO Bryan Keller described the approach as methodical. “For us, staying ahead isn’t a headline, it’s a habit. From electrification and yard automation to digital visibility and warehouse technology, our teams are continually pressure-testing what’s next. The Tesla Semi discussion is one more way we evaluate new tools against our standards for safety, uptime, and customer ROI. We don’t chase trends, we pressure-test what works,” Keller said.
Benjamin Pierce, Chief Strategy Officer, echoed these sentiments. “Electrification and next-generation powertrains are part of a much broader transformation. Whether it’s proprietary yard systems like YardLink™, solar and renewable logistics solutions, or real-time vehicle intelligence, Keller’s approach stays the same, test it, prove it, and deploy it only when it strengthens service and total cost for our customers,” Pierce said.
News
Tesla extends FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe by three months
Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe.
Tesla appears to be doubling down on its European Full Self-Driving (Supervised) push, with the company extending its demo ride-along program by three months until the end of March 2026. The update seems to have been implemented due to overwhelming demand.
Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe.
Extended FSD demonstrations
Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager Ivan Komušanac shared on LinkedIn that the company is offering ride-along experiences in Germany, France and Italy while working toward FSD (Supervised) approval in Europe.
He noted that this provides a great feedback opportunity from the general public, encouraging participants to record and share their experiences. For those unable to book in December, Komušanac teased more slots as “Christmas presents.”
Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt highlighted the extension on X, stating that dates now run from December 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, in multiple cities including Stuttgart-Weinstadt, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf in Germany. This suggests that the FSD ride-along program in Europe has officially been extended until the end of the first quarter of 2026.
Building momentum for European approval
Replies to Merritt’s posts buzzed with excitement, with users like @AuzyMale noting that Cologne and Düsseldorf are already fully booked. This sentiment was echoed by numerous other Tesla enthusiasts on social media. Calls for the program’s expansion to other European territories have also started gaining steam, with some X users suggesting Switzerland and Finland as the next locations for FSD ride-alongs.
Ultimately, the Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager’s post aligns with the company’s broader FSD efforts in Europe. As per recent reports, Tesla recently demonstrated FSD’s capabilities for Rome officials. Reporters from media outlets in France and Germany have also published positive reviews of FSD’s capabilities on real-world roads.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announces major update with texting and driving on FSD
Tesla Semi just got a huge vote of confidence from 300-truck fleet
