Tesla Rival Launches Luxury SUV Production

Tesla  (TSLA) - Get Free Report, the leading premiere electric vehicle maker in the world, has seen the competition rise from its EV rivals, especially in the luxury SUV market.

Tesla has held its own against the competition, producing and delivering more EVs than any other company in the world in the first half of the year with 563,987 produced and 545,884 delivered. No other EV maker comes close to Tesla's industry-leading numbers.

Electric vehicle makers lately have been rolling out new luxury SUV offerings to compete against Tesla.

More Fully Electric SUVs are Hitting the Market

Tesla's luxurious full-size Model X SUV comes in with a starting price of $126,490, not including incentives and gas savings, for the dual motor all-wheel drive with a battery range of 332 miles, while the Model X Plaid has 311 mile range and 1,020 horsepower and sells for $144,490, not including incentives and gas savings, the company's website said.

BMW has a fully electric iX xDrive50 SUV that starts at $84,100, providing 516 horsepower and a 324 mile range, the EV maker's website said. Its higher end iX M60 is priced at $108,900 for 610 horsepower and up to 280 mile range.

Tesla also has a popular mid-size SUV, its Model Y, which sells for $54,440, but had to push back delivery dates on that vehicle from August through November 2022 to February 2023 to May 2023. Chinese EV maker Nio  (NIO) - Get Free Report on June 15 rolled out its ES7 smart electric mid-large SUV which sells at a starting price of $69,700, the company said in a statement.

Tesla Competitor Makes SUV in the U.S.

Mercedes-Benz on Aug. 25 jumped into the act to exclusively produce its full-size electric SUVs in the U.S., as it launched production of its EQS SUV, a seven-seater, from its Tuscaloosa, Ala., plant, the company said in a statement. The batteries provided for the SUVs are also produced in the U.S. from the company's Mercedes-Benz Battery Factory in Bibb County, Ala. The company boasts a comprehensive sustainability concept and carbon-neutral production at both factories. 

“We have a highly skilled and motivated team that has absolutely delivered in the successful product launch of the new EQS SUV," Michael Goebel, CEO of Mercedes-Benz International, said in a statement. "Our Team Members in Tuscaloosa have shown a lot of flexibility, energy and commitment in helping us to achieve milestone after milestone since our first Mercedes-Benz rolled off the production line more than 25 years ago. The employees here at the site can be proud that the first all-electric SUV from Mercedes-Benz and its battery are being built in Alabama.”

Mercedes-Benz offers three trim levels of its luxury SUV: the EQS 450+ (rear-wheel drive), the EQS 450 4Matic  and the EQS 580 4Matic (all-wheel drive). The EQS SUV prices range from $110,113 for the EQS 450+, $113,882 for the EQS 450 4Matic and $134,625 for the EQS 580 4Matic.

The EQS 450+ will put out 265kW of energy, for 355 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. The EQS 450 4Matic puts out a combined 400kWh for 536 horsepower and 633 pound-feet of torque. The 4Matic version also features a mode for off-road driving. The EQS 580 4Matic puts out 516 horsepower and 611 pound-feet of torque.

The SUV's range is about 373 miles on a single charge of the battery, which has a capacity of 107.8 kWh, Mercedes-Benz says. The EQS SUV comes with plug-and-charge capabilities, enabling owners to use many of the public charging stations in the U.S. Recharging the battery to 80% from 10% will take 31 minutes, the car manufacturer said.

The EQS SUV shares its long wheelbase (126.4 inches) with the EQS sedan, but is more than 7.8 inches higher than the sedan. The second row of seats can be electrically adjusted as standard. A third row with two additional individual seats and extensive comfort features for all passengers are available as an optional extra.