Meet The New Mercedes-Benz EQE

The Mercedes EQE offers up plenty of the high-tech features offered in the super-luxury EQS, but in a smaller, more economically-friendly package.

This modern, elegant and bold saloon is the second model ever to sit on the brand’s EVA2 platform (after the luxury EQS model). The EQE looks to rival all-electric luxury vehicles such as the Polestar 2, BMW i4 and the Tesla Model 3. The EQE will be smaller than the EQS, but roomier than the E-Class Saloon.

Performance

Range-wise, the EQE is set to be an alternative to the Tesla Model S, but with an even more impressive range, looking to put-paid to range anxiety forever. The brand has announced a mammoth 410-mile range (estimated real range of 325 miles) from one charge - that’s 50 miles more than the Tesla 3 Long Range and even the Tesla Model S Long Range.

The EQE cannot be charged quite as quickly as its luxurious cousin the EQS, which is compatible with 200kW super-fast charging. The EQE is compatible with 170kW fast chargers though, which can still boost your range by 155 miles in 15 minutes (the 200kW charger can boost almost 190 miles in 15 minutes, so it’s not a massive difference).

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The EQE also offers up a single motor with 292bhp, and rear-wheel steering.

Aesthetics & Design

The visual cues taken from the EQS are clear. The EQE’s black front panel and cab-forward shape certainly mimic the EQS entirely. The silhouette seems to be becoming a bit of a calling card for the brand’s EV family, with short overhangs at both the front and the rear.

Mercedes have taken pride in minimising joint lines, transitions and body lines, providing ‘sensual purity’. An athletic dimension is added by its muscly rear haunches, and (‘aero wheel’) wheels sizing from 19-21 inch. Its swooping roofline, curved doors and chrome trim all mimic the EQS perfectly.

The brand claims a ‘very good’ Cd figure as a result of the model’s smooth underside, closed grille and rigorous panel gap sealing, allowing for optimal aerodynamic efficiency - just like with the EQS.

The EQE is shorter than the EQS by 270mm but has a wheelbase 80mm longer than the E-Class (sitting at 3120mm). It also offers a hatch-style boot rather than a saloon-style boot lid.

The EQE comes with its own range of 19 to 21-inch alloy wheels, but you can’t deny that the swooping roofline, curvy doors and chrome trim look just like the EQS.

Mercedes are positioning the EQE as “one of the very best vehicles in its class” for noise reduction, too. Foam insulates the electric motors to minimise wind and drive train noise, and also fills various cavities. Bespoke uprated seals for door handles, mirrors and windows also contribute to noise reduction.

Tech

Again, you’ll see a lot of crossover between the EQS and the EQE here, with lots of features pulled over from the smarter EQS model, including the latest ‘Hey, Mercedes’ voice recognition software. The tech capabilities go beyond the norm, though, with features allowing you to connect the car to smart tech in your house, allowing you for example to turn your heating on whilst driving home. It’s also compatible with ‘over the air’ updates, so you won’t have to take it back to the dealership to get software updates.

New car technology in 2021 continues to make leaps and bounds - check out our list of cutting-edge car tech to find out more.

Interior

Again, the interior looks to be modelled on the EQS. The EQE should feel super roomy inside, due to an 80mm longer cabin than the normal E-Class saloon, and 27mm more shoulder room. Equally, seats are 65mm higher here, giving more underleg support for improved comfort. The boot capacity is smaller though, at only 430 litres.

That’s where similarities to the E-Class end, as everything else is more familiar to the EQS, even offering the option of the EQS’ ‘hyperscreen’ infotainment device, which spans the width of the dash. The front passenger has control of their own 12.3inch OLED display, which (across Europe at least) will be dimmed when showing ‘dynamic content’ - so as not to distract the driver from the road.

Enhanced features such as the ‘Roaring Pulse’ sound mode (imitating a “large-volume combustion engine”), special driving modes for young drivers and technicians, in-built video games and special headlight tech leave nothing missing.

Sustainability-wise? If you pick your charging station through the Mercedes Me Charge app, you can even choose to recharge using renewable electricity. This is also the first Mercedes model to be created from 100% recycled steel.

How does it drive?

We’re yet to find out, but Mercedes has confirmed that they’ll make the rear-wheel-drive 350 model available first. This uses a single motor at the back, creating 292bhp and 530Nm of torque.

We’d expect, pace-wise, that the EQE wouldn’t be too far from the entry-level 2-wheel drive EQS, which has a single motor, with 333bhp and a 0-62mph acceleration of 6.2 seconds. The 4-wheel drive model will follow later, and then we expect an even zippier AMG version

Summary

Most likely on sale from 2022, the new Mercedes EQE will likely set you back about the same as a high-spec Mercedes E-Class, which would be around £60,000. Four-wheel-drive versions will cost more though, and the AMG EQE that’s coming later will probably set you back more like £100,000.

If you’re looking for a more approachable version of the super-luxe EQS, this seems to be the model to opt for.

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