The Mercedes-Benz EQS arrived “10 years too early” for its radical styling to be accepted by buyers, according to its designer.

The electric saloon was launched in 2021 as the flagship in a new line of Mercedes EVs but has failed to generate as many sales as its combustion-engined counterpart, the S-Class. A significant reason for this struggle has been its progressive design – such that Mercedes introduced a more traditional-looking grille as part of the car’s 2024 update, to appeal to the more conservative buyer.

“I think the EQS is probably 10 years too early,” Mercedes-Benz design chief Gorden Wagener told Autocar. 

He suggested that the car had perhaps been doomed by comparison to the combustion-powered S-Class, despite having been developed to a different brief. 

Wagener said: “It's a very, very progressive car and, of course, it was not originally designed as a chauffeur limousine. That was not the intention. 

“Many people in this class expect a long hood [bonnet] and status from a chauffeur car, and the EQS is different there. It's a completely different car. 

“Maybe we should have marketed it differently, more like a futuristic CLS, S-Class Coupé or something like that.”

As previously reported by Autocar, the EQS’s struggles have prompted Mercedes to unify the model and the S-Class for their next generation: both will be replaced by a pair of ICE and EV models badged and styled as S-Classes.