I had a 2022 EQS450+ for about 2 years. I traded it because the local ElectrifyAmerica network was always basically in disrepair. I paid a premium to get an electric car that was more then the savings of buying gas, but hey... it's the future.

I have a question though. In this century there have been a lot of cars such as Toyota and Honda that would run 250k plus miles without major repairs. This is not a dis or comparison to Mercedes and I assume this is also true of Mercedes.

My EQS was estimated to get about 350 miles on a charge. Assuming reasonable care and garaging, How many years and miles would an EQS last and still be able to get at least 300 miles on a charge? How long before the battery becomes basically unusable?

Thanks

 

I don’t have the data but based on my previous 2022 EQS 580 which I owned for 3 years, I bet you’ll get at least 300 miles even after 6 years assuming you don’t drive like a maniac.

 

This has been studied a lot...I'd suggest doing a Google search to find articles about it. The Engineering Explained guy on YouTube did a video on it also. My general impression is that ev's are retaining 80-85% of range at that mileage. Best case scenario for our cars though is we get a serious battery fault issue at 150,000 miles and get a fresh battery.

 

Here in Texas, where our power grid is questionalble (and I have a Generac installed and ready to attest to that fact!), they are experimenting with battery storage units consisting of used EV batteries stacked in a storage container, which charge daily and deliver power to the grid in the event of grid failure or inadequate supply. Sounds to me like they are betting on long life for EV batteries. Personally, I saw no degeration of my EQS battery during the three years I owned it.....NONE. I think it might be going strong (in the hands of the new owner) for many many years to come.

 

Thanks for the replies. It seems to me that EVs (the battery) have a direct path to an end of life, where as gas cars could be maintained or repaired to go indefinitely. Both (all) cars will loose value with age and condition, but to me I can keep a gas car the rest of my life, but an electric car might not be able to go forever. Just my thoughts, but.....

Other then the weight, an electric car is a better driving experience. Smoother, no clunky shifting, lots of power, and no emissions. I think they will get better batteries that are lighter and get a range similar to gas cars eventually. I really liked my EQS and I am excited to see what the future brings.

 

Old_Rocker, I think EV are intrinsically more sustainable than gas power. Everything is replaceable. EV tech even brings classic cars back to life with an EV motor/inverter. The only thing I fears is unsupported and hackable software over time. Battery, nope. All the other circuit boards and modules? Aftermarket just like everything else. Software is my concern.

 

[QUOTE=hlothery;9201173]Here in Texas, where our power grid is questionalble (and I have a Generac installed and ready to attest to that fact!), they are experimenting with battery storage units consisting of used EV batteries stacked in a storage container, which charge daily and deliver power to the grid in the event of grid failure or inadequate supply. Sounds to me like they are betting on long life for EV batteries. Personally, I saw no degeration of my EQS battery during the three years I owned it.....NONE. I think it might be going strong (in the hands of the new owner) for many many years to come.[/QUOTE
Your battery may have in fact not degraded at all or it could have degraded but not below the usable amount. Per an AI response on google, the battery has 120 kWh total capacity but 107.8 usable. Seems possible it could in fact degrade a bit before you would perceive any range impact.
This is different from Tesla's that use it all and you perceive degradation pretty much from the get go.

 

@Old Rocker , your question about the true longevity of an EV battery versus an ICE car gets to the core of the ownership debate. The discussion it's sparked is a valuable one, with great real-world points from @hlothery on second-life batteries and @MB37 on the long-term role of software. To add to the conversation, I think it's worth diving into the specific engineering that governs the EQS battery's lifespan.

To answer your core question directly: with reasonable care, an EQS should comfortably retain well above 300 miles of range for at least 8-10 years and 200,000+ miles. In many cases, it will likely exceed this. The key to this durability lies in two critical, often invisible, engineering systems: the Battery Management System (BMS) and the Thermal Management System.

The Secret of the "Buffer": The 107.8 kWh capacity is the usable amount, not the total. Mercedes engineers build in significant buffers at the top and bottom ends of the battery's charge. Think of it like a premium bottle of fine wine – the vintner intentionally leaves space at the top and sediment at the bottom. Similarly, the BMS intelligently manages charging to avoid ever stressing the battery cells to their absolute limits. This buffer is the primary reason for the gradual degradation of range over time.

The Silent Guardian: Thermal Management: Heat is the kryptonite of battery longevity. The EQS boasts a sophisticated liquid-cooling and heating system that constantly circulates coolant to maintain an optimal temperature for the battery cells. This precise thermal management is crucial in preventing the rapid degradation that can plague EVs with less advanced systems.

Mercedes' Own Confidence: The Warranty: The clearest indicator is the Mercedes-Benz battery warranty, which covers the battery for 10 years or 155,000 miles against significant degradation (typically below 70% of original capacity). This isn't marketing; it's a significant financial commitment based on years of data.

Now, zooming out to the broader question of longevity—this is where the points made by you about ICE repairability and @MB37 's counter about modularity become so interesting.

The idea of an ICE car lasting "indefinitely" through constant repairs is more of a romantic ideal than a practical reality. A 20-year-old gasoline car is a complex web of aging rubber, worn mechanical parts, and a constant battle against entropy.

An EV, by contrast, is a more modular system. The fear shouldn't be an unrepairable "end of life." Instead, think of it like a high-performance computer. The core "platform" can remain robust for decades, while the battery and motors are high-value "peripherals" that can be replaced or even upgraded.

This brings us to the often-unconsidered future of EV longevity. Imagine owning your EQS for 15-20 years. The question then won't just be about replacing the original battery. It will likely be about the option to upgrade to a newer generation of battery technology—perhaps a solid-state battery that wasn't even conceived of when your car was built, offering double the range.

So, while the anxiety around battery "death" is understandable, the engineering suggests a long and robust life. And as the landscape matures, "longevity" will likely evolve from a story of endless repairs to one of strategic upgrades.

 

Thanks for all the great points. I wasn't afraid to buy a $100k+ EV and I probably wouldn't (be afraid) again in the future. Both platforms work well. When I am ready to think about another new car, I will probably search trade in prices and see if the differences are enough to sway my decision. Meantime, I hope the public charging situation improves. When I first bought my car, I made a 1,500 mile one way round trip. Although there were charging stations available on the app, they were not all operable. I wound up having to be towed 105 miles. On the way back I traveled down thru California and did not have the same issues.

 

I read in another forum an EQS Sedan owner just completed 100,000 miles and this particular owner kept pretty good records on range and consumption, he said they have noticed virtually 0 degradation in range since their purchase in 2022 and after 100k miles of driving and charging.

Also, other critics of EVs mention their comfort in ice cars lasting almost indefinitely. OK, that is only true given one’s definition of “lasting”. We have a 1997 BMW M3 that I have owned for 20 years, I still love the car, but it is pretty much reserved for short Sunday afternoon drives and an occasional car show. I am fully aware this car would be expensive if I were to attempt to make it a daily driver and I wouldn’t venture taking it on a cross country trip.

Here is my prediction regarding the EQS that I just bought - I believe it will last as long as I want to keep it, just like every other car I have ever owned. I also believe that I’m not going to lose my shirt on it when I sell it, because I believe some of the fears that have driven the EQS prices down are largely unjustified. I also believe Mercedes is trying to get the price of the ‘25 EQS and their other EV’s more in line with what makes sense, the government credits have kind of screwed up the market values, and this won’t last forever.

 

Lol...yes, my 2008 CL will last forever, while my checkbook remains wide open with no end, ever. And this is just a hobby car, driven on nice days.

 

You can keep both types of cars running indefinitely with a large enough checkbook. In doing so, eventually you will have replaced every component on both cars, and will likely be going to machine shops to have parts built as replacements are not available. So no difference. You might find that the ICE car will nickel and dime you with a constant stream of power train repairs while the EV is more likely to have far fewer, but occasionally expensive repairs. The EV is likely to come out ahead in the long run as batteries are lasting far longer than expected and repair/replacement costs are coming down.

 

From what I have seen, most of the battery degradation can be attributed to fast charging.
The faster the charging, and the more times a battery is fast charged, the more the degradation.

 

Yes, this does seem to be the major factor, along with charging to 100% frequently. The eco charging setting limits charging to 100kW and 80%, so seems to be a good compromise between fast charging and increased lifetime. However, it does seem the batteries are performing far better in real world usage than early lab testing indicated, which is good news for owners.