Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its new EQS SUV variant that will go on sale later this year.
Mercedes has expanded their EQ line of electric vehicles with the new EQS SUV. The 7-seater luxury SUV starts at $130,000, features an optional all-wheel-drive system capable of 536 horsepower, has an estimated range of up to 410 miles, and can charge at a rate of 200kW via fast charger (10%-80% in 30min).
Mercedes were looking to take the fight of the luxury sedan to the likes of Tesla and Lucid with their EQS sedan, but now they hope to challenge the likes of the Tesla Model X with their EQS SUV. The relatively sparse 7-seater EV market makes the Mercedes an early contender, but they are bringing a great option to the table.
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- Credit: Mercedes
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Much like the EQS sedan the SUV is based on, the vehicle is capable of incredible range, 410 miles, when equipped with the single motor rear-wheel drive option. The SUV also offers similar luxury features. An optional cross-dash display system with three screens; driver, center console, and passenger. Optional rear-wheel steering and all-wheel drive system boosts horsepower to 536, up from 355 in the single motor. And a 200kW capable charging system means that Mercedes can charge the EQS SUV’s enormous 107.8kWh battery in just 30min to 80%.
In a similar trend to other legacy car makers like Cadillac, Mercedes has made the new EQS SUV enormous. The vast SUV stretches over 16.5 feet long and weighs an earth-shattering 7716 pounds. But with that size comes all of the luxury interior features you can expect from a vehicle with a starting price over $100,000. Massaging and heated seats for all passengers, displays available for every Gen Z-er being taken to soccer practice, and Mercedes’ iconic interior lighting system draping over the interior.
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- Credit: Mercedes
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- Credit: Mercedes
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- Credit: Mercedes
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- Credit: Mercedes
It is clear the target of the Mercedes EQS SUV, the Tesla Model X, and the vehicle certainly does its best to outshine its American counterpart. The EQS SUV has more range, more passenger space (especially in the third row), and more comfort amenities for passengers. However, it is substantially less powerful than the comparably priced Tesla Model X Plaid. At the same time, Mercedes is undoubtedly working on an AMG variant that will go toe-to-toe with Tesla’s monster.
However, they will not be the only manufacturer looking to enter the 7-seater market. Tesla is likely looking to update their long-in-the-tooth vehicle lineup, Hyundai/Kia are both looking to bring a large 7-seater option to market, BMW is likely working on an iX7 to compliment its current 5-seater option, and Lucid’s Project Gravity is in the works as well. Not to forget Ford and GM, who have long dominated the gargantuan SUV market with the likes of the Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, Chevy Suburban, and Cadillac Escalade. This will be an exciting market to watch in the coming years.
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Tesla has made two big interior changes to several Model Y vehicles in its lineup, and the changes come just as the new model year begins production.
Last year, Tesla launched the Model Y Standard, which separated the previous models into the “Premium” category. The Standard vehicles lack several features, including more premium interior materials, acoustic-lined glass, and storage.
@teslarati There are some BIG differences between the Tesla Model Y Standard and Tesla Model Y Premium #tesla #teslamodely ♬ Sia – Xeptemper
The Model Y “Premium” trims are now getting several new upgrades, which come after the company launched a seven-seat configuration of the vehicle last night in the North American market for an upcharge of $2,500.
The new Model Y seven-seat configuration did not come with just an additional row of seating; it also came with a slew of other goodies that now come standard and were previously only available on the Model Y Performance, which was launched late last year.
All Black Headliner
The new Tesla Model Y Premium trims will now come standard with a black headliner, something that many owners have been requesting for some time.
The previous grey headliner and trim within the vehicle is now gone; it will be all black on all of the Premium trims from here on out, a welcome change:
Credit: Tesla
Larger and Higher Resolution Center Touchscreen
The center touchscreen in the new Model Y Premium configuration is now larger and has a higher resolution than the previous version.
In last year’s Model Y configurations (apart from the Performance), the center touchscreen was 15.4″. Now, Tesla has decided to go with the 16″ version across all Premium trims, which is a nice step up. It was nice to see this in the Performance, but it is really great to see Tesla include this in the Model Y’s more Premium trim levels.
Tesla Model Y Seven Seater
Tesla launched the latest iteration of the seven-seater for the Model Y on Monday night. Traditionally, the Model Y seats five passengers in total, but there were calls for a more spacious version several years ago.
Tesla released it, but it was extremely tight in the back, basically reserving those back seats for only small people or children.
Credit: Tesla
The new configuration looks to be slightly more spacious in the third row, but not as much space as most would require or want. Instead,
Elon Musk
Lufthansa Group to equip Starlink on its 850-aircraft fleet
Under the collaboration, Lufthansa Group will install Starlink technology on both its existing fleet and all newly delivered aircraft, as noted by the group in a press release.
Lufthansa Group has announced a partnership with Starlink that will bring high-speed internet connectivity to every aircraft across all its carriers.
This means that aircraft across the group’s brands, from Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines to Brussels Airlines, would be able to enjoy high-speed internet access using the industry-leading satellite internet solution.
Starlink in-flight internet
Under the collaboration, Lufthansa Group will install Starlink technology on both its existing fleet and all newly delivered aircraft, as noted by the group in a press release.
Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites are expected to provide significantly higher bandwidth and lower latency than traditional in-flight Wi-Fi, which should enable streaming, online work, and other data-intensive applications for passengers during flights.
Starlink-powered internet is expected to be available on the first commercial flights as early as the second half of 2026. The rollout will continue through the decade, with the entire Lufthansa Group fleet scheduled to be fully equipped with Starlink by 2029. Once complete, no other European airline group will operate more Starlink-connected aircraft.
Free high-speed access
As part of the initiative, Lufthansa Group will offer the new high-speed internet free of charge to all status customers and Travel ID users, regardless of cabin class. Chief Commercial Officer Dieter Vranckx shared his expectations for the program.
“In our anniversary year, in which we are celebrating Lufthansa’s 100th birthday, we have decided to introduce a new high-speed internet solution from Starlink for all our airlines. The Lufthansa Group is taking the next step and setting an essential milestone for the premium travel experience of our customers.
“Connectivity on board plays an important role today, and with Starlink, we are not only investing in the best product on the market, but also in the satisfaction of our passengers,” Vranckx said.
Elon Musk
Tesla locks in Elon Musk’s top problem solver as it enters its most ambitious era
The generous equity award was disclosed by the electric vehicle maker in a recent regulatory filing.
Tesla has granted Senior Vice President of Automotive Tom Zhu more than 520,000 stock options, tying a significant portion of his compensation to the company’s long-term performance.
The generous equity award was disclosed by the electric vehicle maker in a recent regulatory filing.
Tesla secures top talent
According to a Form 4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Tom Zhu received 520,021 stock options with an exercise price of $435.80 per share. Since the award will not fully vest until March 5, 2031, Zhu must remain at Tesla for more than five years to realize the award’s full benefit.
Considering that Tesla shares are currently trading at around the $445 to $450 per share level, Zhu will really only see gains in his equity award if Tesla’s stock price sees a notable rise over the years, as noted in a Sina Finance report.
Still, even at today’s prices, Zhu’s stock award is already worth over $230 million. If Tesla reaches the market cap targets set forth in Elon Musk’s 2025 CEO Performance Award, Zhu would become a billionaire from this equity award alone.
Tesla’s problem solver
Zhu joined Tesla in April 2014 and initially led the company’s Supercharger rollout in China. Later that year, he assumed the leadership of Tesla’s China business, where he played a central role in Tesla’s localization efforts, including expanding retail and service networks, and later, overseeing the development of Gigafactory Shanghai.
Zhu’s efforts helped transform China into one of Tesla’s most important markets and production hubs. In 2023, Tesla promoted Zhu to Senior Vice President of Automotive, placing him among the company’s core global executives and expanding his influence beyond China. He has since garnered a reputation as the company’s problem solver, being tapped by Elon Musk to help ramp Giga Texas’s vehicle production.
With this in mind, Tesla’s recent filing seems to suggest that the company is locking in its top talent as it enters its newest, most ambitious era to date. As could be seen in the targets of Elon Musk’s 2025 pay package, Tesla is now aiming to be the world’s largest company by market cap, and it is aiming to achieve production levels that are unheard of. Zhu’s talents would definitely be of use in this stage of the company’s growth.
Tesla makes two big interior changes to several Model Y vehicles
Lufthansa Group to equip Starlink on its 850-aircraft fleet
