Tag Archives: Mercedes-Benz

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Mercedes EQB Recall: Don’t Fully Charge Your EV

If you’re the type of Mercedes EV driver who already checks the range estimate more often than your bank balance, we’ve got news that won’t help your blood pressure. Mercedes-Benz is advising owners of certain EQB electric SUVs to cap charging at 80 percent—not to preserve battery health, not to optimize efficiency, but because charging to 100 percent could, in engineering terms, trigger a “thermal event.”

In plain English: the battery could short-circuit and catch fire. And unlike a check-engine light or a rattling trim panel, battery fires tend to command your full attention—and the local fire department’s.

The good news, such as it is, is that this recall affects a vanishingly small slice of Mercedes’ EV fleet. Just 169 vehicles are involved, including 100 EQB 300 4Matic models, 48 EQB 350 4Matics, and 21 single-motor EQB 250s. That’s barely enough cars to fill a Costco parking lot, though that’s cold comfort if yours happens to be one of them.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because Mercedes has been here before. Earlier in 2025, the company recalled more than 7,000 EQBs in the U.S. for—you guessed it—fire risk, issuing the same temporary advice to keep charging below 80 percent until a software update could be applied. Déjà vu, now with fewer vehicles.

According to Mercedes, the newly recalled cars are “early-stage” 2022–2023 model-year EQBs. Later vehicles supposedly received more robust battery hardware, sparing them from this particular drama. For the affected cars, the company says drivers will likely get warning messages if things start getting spicy under the floorpan while driving. Unfortunately, a parked EQB could still ignite without so much as a polite heads-up.

Naturally, you might assume Mercedes would replace the suspect batteries with improved units. Naturally, you’d be wrong. The fix is—again—a software update, scheduled to roll out via dealerships in early 2026. Until then, owners are stuck playing battery-management limbo.

That’s especially painful given the EQB’s already modest range. The dual-motor EQB 350 carries an EPA rating of just 227 miles on a full charge. Knock that down to 80 percent and you’re looking at roughly 180 miles. Add a sensible buffer at the bottom end of the gauge and real-world usable range could shrink to around 150 miles.

That’s enough to visit relatives across town, but probably not across the state—unless you enjoy spending quality time at freeway charging stations, contemplating life choices and scrolling through apps that insist your charger will be available “any minute now.”

For now, Mercedes EQB owners affected by the recall can take solace in two things: first, the odds of being impacted are low; and second, Mercedes insists the fix is coming. Eventually. In the meantime, charge cautiously, park thoughtfully, and maybe keep the holiday travel plans local.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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Mercedes-Benz tests the new S-Class on the roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mercedes-Benz may be fashionably late, but the refreshed S-Class is finally nearing its debut. The German luxury flagship is currently in the final stages of testing, and one camouflaged prototype was recently spotted stretching its legs on the roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After a longer-than-expected development cycle, the updated S-Class is now slated to arrive in the first half of 2026.

From what we can tell, Mercedes isn’t reinventing the S-Class so much as sharpening it. Up front, the sedan appears to wear a larger and more assertive grille—an unmistakable move in a segment where presence matters as much as prestige. Flanking it are newly shaped headlights featuring intricate internal elements that double as daytime running lights and turn signals, giving the front end a more technical, modern look.

Lower down, the bumper has been reworked with revised air intakes aimed at both visual drama and improved aerodynamics. The overall silhouette remains classic S-Class—long, low, and dignified—but the details suggest Mercedes is keen on making sure its flagship doesn’t fade into the background amid a growing crowd of tech-heavy luxury sedans.

The rear end receives similar attention. The updated S-Class adopts sleeker taillights with distinctive “star” graphics, a subtle nod to Mercedes’ branding without tipping into excess. A reshaped rear bumper, along with revised diffusers and exhaust outlets, further refines the car’s stance and gives the back end a cleaner, more cohesive appearance.

Inside, Mercedes is keeping its cards close to its chest, but expectations are high—and for good reason. Major updates are promised, with strong indications that the brand’s expansive Hyperscreen setup will make its way into the S-Class lineup. A redesigned dashboard is expected, along with an optional passenger-side display that extends infotainment and comfort features beyond the driver’s seat. If Mercedes sticks the landing, the cabin should once again set the benchmark for tech-forward luxury.

Of course, the timing raises a few eyebrows. The refreshed S-Class was originally expected to debut in late 2024, but internal delays and shifting brand strategies pushed the timeline back considerably. In a segment where rivals are moving quickly, Mercedes knows it can’t afford to miss.

Still, if the final product delivers on its promises, the 2026 S-Class could remind everyone why this car has long been the gold standard for full-size luxury sedans—even if it arrives a bit later than planned.

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Mercedes-Benz’s Quiet Revolution: Repairable Headlights and the Rise of a Circular Car

Sustainability in the automotive world is often measured in grams of CO₂ per kilometer, yet some of the most meaningful changes happen far from the tailpipe. With its Tomorrow XX initiative, Mercedes-Benz is turning its attention to the often-overlooked environmental cost of how cars are built, repaired, and ultimately recycled. The result is a series of practical, engineer-led solutions that could reshape how premium vehicles age over time.

One of the most tangible changes is coming to modern Mercedes headlights. Traditionally, these complex units are sealed together with adhesive bonds, making repairs nearly impossible. A cracked lens or damaged housing usually means replacing the entire headlight assembly—an expensive process that generates unnecessary waste. Under the Tomorrow XX program, adhesive joints will gradually be replaced by threaded connections. Lenses, covers, frames, housings, and even electronic components will be designed to be disassembled and replaced individually.

In real-world terms, this means that a simple stone chip no longer has to condemn an entire headlight unit. A mechanic will be able to remove the damaged lens and fit a new one, extending the component’s service life while reducing repair costs and material waste. It’s a small change in design philosophy with a potentially large impact on ownership experience and sustainability.

But repairable headlights are only one piece of a broader circular-economy puzzle. Mercedes is also finding new lives for materials that would normally be discarded. Fiberglass-reinforced polyamide recovered from used airbags is being repurposed to manufacture engine mounts, while plastics from end-of-life vehicles are reused as protective coatings for the chassis of new models. Instead of extracting fresh raw materials, the company is increasingly mining its own past.

Perhaps the most controversial innovation lies inside the cabin. Mercedes says that recycled plastic from worn-out tires can serve as the foundation for artificial leather. When combined with biological proteins, the result is a material the brand claims closely resembles natural leather in both composition and structure. According to Mercedes, it is also twice as wear-resistant and more tolerant of extreme temperatures—an engineering argument that may matter more to durability than to tradition-minded luxury buyers.

What unites all these initiatives is a shift in how emissions are understood. While consumers tend to focus on what comes out of the exhaust, a car’s environmental footprint begins long before the first kilometer is driven. Material extraction, processing, and manufacturing all contribute significantly to total emissions. By increasing the use of secondary raw materials and reducing dependence on primary resources, Mercedes aims to cut pollution at the source.

The Tomorrow XX initiative may not generate the same headlines as a new electric flagship or a dramatic concept car. Yet its implications are arguably just as important. By rethinking how components are assembled, repaired, and reborn, Mercedes-Benz is quietly redefining what sustainability means in the premium automotive segment—and proving that the future of luxury may be as much about longevity and responsibility as it is about performance and prestige.

Source: Mercedes-Benz