Mercedes EQS 450 V297 vs Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus hits 100 km/h in 5.81 s versus 6.30 s for the EQS 450. At this point, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus leads by 0.49 s and sits roughly 8 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus is doing 129 km/h against 128 km/h for the EQS 450. The gap is 0.33 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus crosses the line in 14.26 s versus 14.56 s. The 0.30 s gap represents roughly 13 m of track - two to three car lengths.

Past 400 metres, the situation changes. The EQS 450 maxes out at 210 km/h while the Model 3 Standard Range Plus keeps accelerating towards 224 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 0.18 s.

Around 795 metres, both vehicles are level. This is the inversion point: the EQS 450 overcomes its launch deficit thanks to a 14 km/h higher top speed.

At 1,000 metres, the EQS 450 finishes in 26.37 s versus 26.61 s. The 0.24 s delta shows an extremely tight race.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the EQS 450 is capped at 210 km/h, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus at 225 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

With two electric powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (7.45 kg/hp vs 7.29 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 9.86 seconds. The 0.49 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.