Rs 2.45 crore! This is the most expensive electric car in India

German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz on Wednesday launched its most expensive electric vehicle (EV) -- Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC (sedan) -- in India, with a price starting at Rs 2.45 crore (all India ex-showroom).

The company's Indian arm had started its electro mobility drive in India with the launch of its all-electric SUV EQC as a fully imported unit in October 2020, priced at Rs 1.07 crore.

The Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC would be imported as a completely built unit (CBU). The new Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ comes with a 107.8kWh battery, the luxury carmaker said.

It can accelerate from 0-100 km/hr in 3.4 seconds with a battery charge level of at least 75 per cent and can achieve a top speed of 250 km/hr. On single charge (standard conditions), it has a range of 529-586 km.

Taking AMG EQS 53 4MATIC luxury sedan into account, Mercedes would launch three electric vehicles in the next four months as part of the strategy to accelerate its electric mobility journey in the country.

It would launch the locally assembled all-electric sedan EQS 580 next month, followed by seven-seater electric SUV, EQB, around November.

Local assembly unit helps a global carmaker to avoid heavy duty on imports, which collectively stands over 200 per cent. And with localisation, electrics, which in this case would be 'Made in India', attract a GST (goods and services tax) of 5 per cent.

"We are very optimistic and we are bullish to look at around, say 25 per cent of sales in the next five years (from EVs)," Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India Martin Schwenk told news agency PTI.

In order to support the electrification journey, Schwenk said Mercedes would set-up 140 fast charging stations this year.

The company had sold 11,242 units in 2021, while in the first half of 2022, it registered sales of 7,573 units.

Mercedes' rivals in the luxury EV space in India include Audi (e-Tron), Porsche (Taycan) and BMW (i-range).

(With inputs from PTI)