Mercedes-Benz said that it would build its first electric SUV in the US all the way back in 2017. Now, half a decade later, it's finally happening.

The automaker on Friday announced that production has commenced on the EQS SUV, the first battery-electric SUV under its Mercedes-EQ sub-brand. It's a first for Mercedes, but it also isn't, as its plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, has been manufacturing large SUVs for the luxury automaker since 1997. The EQS is also part of a much larger equation, as Mercedes aims to build eight EVs across seven sites on three continents by the end of the year.

While the EQS SUV is the only EV rolling off the line in Tuscaloosa at the moment, it won't stay that way for long. Before the year ends, Mercedes will also produce the smaller EQE SUV there. A fancier Maybach variant of the EQS SUV should also end up there in the future.

Some companies may ship battery packs from far-out locations for assembly, but Mercedes-Benz only has to bring them down the street. The automaker opened a battery production facility in nearby Bibb County in March, where cell modules and other components come together before being sent to Tuscaloosa.

While we haven't yet driven the EQS SUV, we took a ride in the passenger seat back in March, when we toured the Bibb County battery facility. It's quite the comfortable cruiser, which didn't come as a surprise, considering how smooth the EQS sedan is. All of our favorite EQS tech is present in the EQS SUV, as well, including that wild 56-inch Hyperscreen dashboard.