Mercedes-Benz has announced a couple of new models in the last two years that have signaled that the automaker is finally ready to compete once morest rivals from Porsche, Audi and, of course, Tesla.
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The German automaker has fallen behind in the electric car race following canceling the EQC electric SUV for the North American market.
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE is a new all-electric luxury sedan that heavily follows the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan.
Scheduled to go on sale later this year, the new EQE inherits much from the EQS, including a forward-arching cabin design, an extremely technology-focused interior and a wide range of standard driver aids.
Think of the EQE as the E-Class in Mercedes’ lineup of electric vehicles. Like the midsize E-Class through full-size S-Class sedans, the EQE just looks like a smaller EQS both inside and out.
While some may not love the EQE’s egg-shaped styling, the family resemblance is undeniable and typically Mercedes.
The automaker has always styled its smaller sedans in the same vein as the flagship S-Class.
The EQE will be available in two trim levels when it goes on sale in 2022: an entry-level EQE 350 and the high-octane AMG EQE.
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Power train
The EQE 350 uses a single electric motor mounted on the rear axle. Future all-wheel drive versions will have an additional electric motor on the front axle.
This is pretty standard stuff for luxury electric vehicles. The motor is paired with a 90 kWh battery pack mounted under the car’s floor. Total output of the EQE 350 is 288 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque.
That’s noticeably less power than the Porsche Taycan at 321 horsepower and the Audi e-tron GT at 469 horsepower.
Tesla doesn’t list horsepower outputs, but the Model S Long Range is believed to make over 500 horsepower. There is also the Lucid Air that promises more than 1,000 horsepower. Sure, promise.
Mercedes estimates that the EQE 350 can cover 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds. That’s decent for a luxury sedan, but off the pace for these electric vehicles.
On the other hand, Mercedes seems to focus more on the technology and comfort of the EQE 350 than on maximum performance.
If the EQE 350’s 288 horsepower doesn’t sound all that exciting, there’s only one way to go: all the way to the top. The AMG EQE uses a pair of electric motors (one on each axle) to produce 617 horsepower and 701 pound-feet of torque.
That 0-60 mph sprint time drops to just 3.4 seconds, regarding the same as a Tesla Model 3 Performance or Chevrolet Corvette.
Select the AMG Dynamic Plus package and the vehicle gets a supercharger feature that boosts output to 677 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque in launch control mode.
Zero to 60 mph is just 3.2 seconds, allowing the AMG EQE to run at the same pace as a Porsche Carrera S.
The EQE 350 will be available with an air suspension with adaptive dampers that will allow the driver to choose between a sport setting that maximizes handling capabilities or a comfort-oriented setting that smooths out ruts and bumps in the road.
Also on the options list is a four-wheel steering system that offers tighter turns at low speeds and increased vehicle stability at high speeds. Both systems are standard on the AMG EQE.
The AMG EQE also comes standard with performance brakes, with the option to upgrade to carbon ceramic discs to decrease brake fade when cornering.
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your autonomy
Mercedes says the EQE 350 can go regarding 400 miles on a full battery charge, at least by the standards of the European WLTP test procedure. If true, that would put EQE at the top of all EVs per rank.
There are some question marks here, as the WLTP estimates are not directly comparable to the EPA range estimates.
Real world range can vary considerably in the EV range test. But it would seem that the EQE will have a lot of range for an EV.
recharge
Mercedes says the EQE 350 can charge from 10% to 100% on a 240-volt outlet in 9.5 hours.
Plug it into a DC fast charger and the EQE can accept up to 170kW, which means you’ll get from 10% to 80% in just 32 minutes.
interior style
Dimensionally, the EQE is regarding the same size as the Mercedes-Benz CLS and within inches of the Tesla Model S. The brand didn’t provide figures for passengers or cargo space, but we expect the EQE to be comparable to its rivals.
As with the EQS, the optional large display that spans the Mercedes dash immediately catches your eye. It uses three screens, all under a large curved piece of glass.
The interior design itself follows the EQS so closely that it’s hard to tell them apart in side-by-side pictures.
The super display is easily the most eye-catching thing inside the EQE. Three panels, 12.3-inch OLED screens for the driver and passenger, as well as a 17.7-inch center screen, can control or display most of the car’s functions.
This screen uses the latest version of Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system that can now adapt to driving preferences, learning when a driver activates certain functions, displaying various menus and functions on the screen as needed.
MBUX also features a robust list of voice commands, online music streaming, and wireless updates. The latest version of MBUX is included in all EQEs, not just models with an optional display.
As with any modern car, the EQE offers many advanced driver aids. Standard features include blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist.
While that’s not much, Mercedes will offer other aids including adaptive cruise control, parking assist, a 360-degree surround view camera, and more.
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