We pitted the Mercedes EQS against the Lucid Air in the ultimate battle of old versus new.
Tim Levin/Insider
I drove the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Lucid Motors Air, two high-tech, high-performance electric sedans.
Both Tesla rivals cost well over $100,000 and are super comfy and luxurious.
Here's why I'd pick the Lucid over the Mercedes.
The rise of electric vehicles means consumers now have old-school automakers and flashy new startups all competing for their hard-earned dollars.
On one end of the spectrum, you have players like Mercedes-Benz, a century-old company trying to preserve its reputation while embracing new technology. On the other, you have Lucid Motors, a high-tech newcomer from Silicon Valley looking to generate some clout of its own and compete with the big dogs.
I drove the two companies' large luxury sedans — the Mercedes-Benz EQS and Lucid Air — and came away impressed by their technology, comfort, and performance. But the Air has the edge in my book.
It's the battery-powered cousin of Mercedes-Benz's S-Class, the big and cushy four-door that's been a perennial favorite among important people of all stripes.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580.
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The EQS very much fits in with that tradition, serving up a tantalizing mix of old-school luxury and flashy new tech.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580.
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Mercedes lent me an all-wheel-drive 2022 EQS 580 4MATIC Pinnacle, which was loaded up with optional goodies and came out to $141,400.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580.
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The base model, which costs $104,400, comes with less power and rear-wheel drive.
The EPA estimates its range to be 340-350 miles, depending on which model you choose. That places it among the rangiest EVs on the US market.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580.
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The EQS 580 will also blow the doors off of most other luxury sedans thanks to the 516 horsepower and 632 pound-feet of torque available under your right foot. Sixty arrives in around four seconds, according to Mercedes.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 580.
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The Air, the first model out of the California startup Lucid Motors, isn't like most luxury sedans.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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Lucid lent me one of its higher-end cars, the Air Grand Touring Performance (GTP). It cost $180,000 when I tested it, but after a price cut will now run you more like $160,000.
It's divided into three sections. A permanent cluster of buttons on the left offers access to functions like the headlights and door locks.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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The middle part shows your speed, range, and other basics, while the rightmost sliver houses the navigation, media settings, and more.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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The screen you'll end up interacting with most is situated down low. This tablet is where drivers can fiddle with the seats, climate control, and drive modes.
I didn't love having to use the touchscreen for every little setting — including everything down to the glove box — but the Air's interface was easy on the eyes and just as responsive as a smartphone.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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Under the hood, Lucid provides an enormous cargo area. That's something the Mercedes doesn't have.
That complements the regular trunk. I could see the short opening posing challenges for large suitcases, but I couldn't get enough of that huge clamshell opening.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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The GTP's dual motors crank out a whopping 1,050 horsepower — more than two EQS 580s for anybody counting.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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Get out onto an open stretch of road, floor it, and the GTP will scorch from a standstill to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, which basically feels like tearing a hole in space-time.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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Range is top-notch, estimated by the EPA at 446 miles. The GTP is only beat out by the regular Grand Touring, which is said to travel 516 miles on a full battery.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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Stopping to charge an EV can be a time-consuming drag, but not in the Air.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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It's one of the very few vehicles on the market that can charge at a peak rate of 300 kilowatts (provided you find a sufficiently powerful station). The EQS maxes out at a very respectable 200 kW.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
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In the Air, I was able to add 100 miles of range in just six minutes, which should make road trips a breeze.
The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance.
Tim Levin/Insider
Both the EQS and Air are luxurious, capable, and high-tech Tesla rivals. But the Lucid is palpably fresh, novel, and exciting inside and out. In this particular battle, the new kid on the block gets my vote.