The EQS sedan will spearhead the introduction of Mercedes-Benz's EQ sub-brand for electric cars in the United States, and not the EQC SUV as originally planned.

The information was revealed by Ola Kaellenius, CEO of Mercedes parent company Daimler, last week at a media event, Automotive News (subscription required) reported Monday.

"We will start and lead with the EQS, that's our strategy for the U.S.," Kaellenius said. "We said that for positioning the EQ brand in the U.S., start from the top and then go from there."

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC

This in line with the new strategy announced October 6 that will see Mercedes focus on high-end, high-margin vehicles.

Originally, Mercedes planned for the EQC to reach the U.S. by early 2020, with the automaker even announcing a starting price of $68,895 back in 2019. However, within weeks of the announcement the automaker decided to delay the vehicle until 2021.

The EQS is currently testing and should be revealed soon. It's due on sale sometime in 2021. It's possible the EQC could be pushed back to 2022, according to one of Automotive News' sources. That could potentially coincide with a mid-cycle update.

2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS spy shots - Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS spy shots - Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

Unlike the EQC which is based on the same underpinnings as the current GLC SUV, the EQS will benefit from a dedicated EV platform. This means it will be able to take better advantage of the packaging benefits of EVs, as well as fit a much bigger battery. The EQS is expected to deliver close to 400 miles of range versus only about 200 miles for the EQC.

The EQS's platform, known as EVA, will spawn more high-end EVs in quick succession. These will include an EQS SUV, an EQE SUV, and an EQE sedan, all of which are likely headed their way here.

Mercedes has previously sold EVs in the U.S., though these were limited in availability. Examples included the B-Class Electric Drive and the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive.