bytemaster0

Looks like all EQE and EQS, both sedan and SUV will receive standard heat pumps and front-axle disconnect units (if vehicle is 4matic) as of cars produced in July. https://insideevs.com/news/650436/me...get-heat-pump/

bytemaster0

Also, I'd bet these are 2024 MY cars, meaning they'd also be, accordingly, more expensive.

bytemaster0

Just in case anyone is interested, it turns out that the estimated range bump from the heat pump on MY2024 vehicles is about 10%. I was expecting a wider gulf, and upon inspecting the materials discussing the climate control system, it appears that the car as is, even without heat pump, is already able to use waste heat from the motors to heat the cabin, which apparently is quite effective down to about 40° F as a primary source of heat. So, that actually makes the 2023 cars not having one a lot less problematic, indicating that we may not see a 30% drop in range during colder months. As for the DCUs, I personally am less enthusiastic about such units - another clutch in a system that could be a point of failure in the drivetrain. It appears that the engagement time is about 100ms, which although impressively short, may still factor in during momentary drivetrain reconfigurations from RWD to AWD mode - you never know when the instantaneous response time of the electronics may be more useful than being hindered by a mechanical clutch mechanism. Apparently, the range improvement from having the DCU is about 5%, so not all that dramatic, though it does add up when you factor in the heat pump as well overall. Interesting either way.