Made In The USA: EQS SUV Marks Important First For Mercedes Benz
EQS SUV will be the brand’s first ever EV produced in the United States, and there’s a number of good reasons why.
You can blame chickens. And the 36th President of the United States. But together, both the fowl and Lyndon Johnson played their part in that headline above. Mercedes will make the EQS SUV at their Tuscaloosa, Alabama plant. And that means it’s the first ever EV from Mercedes made here in the ‘states. And there is a reason why. “Chicken tax.”
Light trucks are burdened with a 25 percent tariff if they are imported from overseas due to a law put in place by Johnson in 1964 according to investopedia. It was in retaliation to European tariffs on imported chickens. So for a company like Mercedes-Benz it make sense to make light trucks (and SUV’s) here in America. It’s why Mercedes has a plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and North Charleston, South Carolina.
Motor1 also reports that this EQS SUV will be powered by a battery pack made less than 4 miles away. That’s another thing that will benefit Mercedes as previously reported legislation from the White House will determine which EVs will be eligible for a $7,500 tax rebate according to our friends at Electric Vehicle Forums.
Competition will come from the Tesla Model X, the Rivian R1S, and… that’s about it. But they are both US made, and aren’t subjet to the aforementioned import tariffs. As for the EQS, it’s one of a few firsts in the full size SUV segment, and stands to break a lot of ground for Mercedes in the coming years. After all, we know that Mercedes is not only committed to EV cars, but also is reshaping their company image into that of ultra luxury.
Speaking of luxury, it won’t be a cheap one, this SUV. Basing assumptions on the EQS sedan, the EQS SUV should range from $105,000 to $130,000. If that’s not enough, Car and Driver hints at a Maybach version that will be built, tipping $200,000 easily. And we know it’s only a matter of time before the folks at AMG get their hands on one.
So in a strange twist of fate, one of the most innovative, luxurious, and highest performance electric Mercedes Benz produced to date will be made in Tuscaloosa. Because of chickens.
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Photos courtesy of Motor1
