Mercedes has been spied in snowy Sweden putting the finishing touches on its first electric Maybach model. The official reveal must be right around the corner since there’s barely any camouflage on the prototype. We can already see the vertical slats shared with the luxed-up S-Class and GLS from where it’ll inherit the three-pointed star hood ornament. Hiding behind duct tape on the rearmost pillar is a double M logo.
While the Maybach S-Class is longer than the Benz-branded model, the posh GLS has the same wheelbase as its lesser sibling. The spy shots indicate it’ll be a similar story with the Maybach EQS SUV since it appears to be just as large as the plebian Benz EQS SUV. Even though the distance between the axles is unlikely to change, passengers sitting in the back are likely to benefit from greater comfort and amenities.
As you may recall, the namesake concept had two individual rear seats separated by a beautiful center console with a white piano lacquer finish and rose gold accents. Expect nothing but the finest materials Mercedes and Maybach have to offer, along with all the technology they can cram inside the electric SUV’s opulent cabin. Think of the differences between the Benz GLS and the Maybach GLS to get an idea of how the fancier EQS SUV will distance itself from the more affordable version.
Chances are it’ll be based on the EQS 580 SUV, so there should be a pair of electric motors good for 536 horsepower and 633 pound-feet (858 Newton-meters) of torque. In the Benz, the dual-motor AWD setup enables a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h).
As a refresher, the Benz EQS SUV in the 580 configuration with its 107.8-kWh battery pack does 285 miles on a single charge on the EPA cycle and 613 kilometers according to the WLTP standard. We’re expecting the equivalent Maybach to boast similar if not identical power, performance, and range figures.