The company had previously promised electric versions of all its cars by 2022, but the EQ S could be ready as soon as 2020.

This isn't exactly democratizing EVs (that's up to the sibling Smart brand). However, the EQ S could still be important. Technology from Mercedes' highest-end vehicles sometimes filters down to other models, for starters. Also, having an S-Class parallel could give EVs a degree of prestige they haven't had before -- this would be one of the first EVs for customers with their own chauffeurs.