The Mercedes EQE is the second model series to be based on the electric architecture that debuted with the EQS. Much more compact and sportier than its sibling, the EQE maintains the one-bow lines and cabin-forward design of the EQ family and it is as spacious and comfortable as you’d expect from anything with a Mercedes badge on it. That and a range of 400 miles make this cutie a tough one to compete within the electric sector, especially in the sports saloon segment.
Our editor Julia Pasarón summarises the Mercedes EQE:
For those who like detail, they’d notice the generously modeled surfaces of the car, reduced joints, and seamless transitions. The one bow line from the front wheel arch over the roof till the very back of the car, and the window lines that are stretched create an optical illusion of having a lower car than it is. Robert Lesnik, Mercedes Director of Exterior Design, explained to me, “Electric cars by definition are higher than fuel ones (you have the battery under your feet) so to make them look lower you need design tricks and to extend the range, better aerodynamics.” In fact, the EQE has an extremely low drag coefficient.
The pronounced shoulders, redesigned grill and new headlamps all contribute to the sporty look of the EQE.
The EQE looks muscular and opinionated thanks to its shorter front and pronounced shoulders while the sharp rear spoiler gives it dynamism. The star-patterned front panel – the “face” of the car – contributes to its powerful look and hides all the assistant systems. Its unusual proportions make the EQE fall into a bit of a marmite situation as some may argue that the bonnet is too short, but that may be because we have seen long-bonnet cars for the last hundred years. And in terms of spaciousness, Robert pointed out that “by pushing the cabin forward we gained a considerable amount of interior space.” Those on the short side of things (like me), will appreciate the higher seating position. The interior design and equipment are clearly based on the EQS, with options like the MBUX Hyperscreen ((the curved screen unit that goes across all the front of the cabin) and rear-axle steering available (depending on the model), which allows the car to turn in a circle smaller than 11 metres. If like me, you live in a big busy city, this kind of stuff matters. In terms of noise and vibration, the EQE truly is a smooth ride. Driving around the Icelandic countryside, I could have heard a pin fall on the mat.
The cabin of the EQE feels extremely luxurious thanks to the attention to detail and the use of very high-quality materials.
But the interior is not just functional, it is also beautiful and luxurious. Ambience lighting that combines with the displays, stitching details on the upholstery and a gorgeous dashboard made of a mix of aluminium and wood to make it crash resistant are some of the features that make the cabin of the EQE feel like something out of an interior design studio.
It is worth mentioning the Digital Light function. The headlamps have 1.3 million pixels each. To give you an idea, you can even project films with them. Just upload them on the Mercedes Operating System and find a wall somewhere. How cool is that? At the rear, the lights bend and we find the helix inside the headlamps, which is a signature feature of the EQ family.
You can upload films onto the Mercedes Operating System and use the EQE’s headlamps as a projector.
The computer and infotainment system is state-of-the-art. From autonomous driving functions to judging if a charging point nearby is broken or not, the brain of the EQE really makes the life of the driver much easier. For example, it can calculate whether the available battery capacity is sufficient to return to the starting point without charging. The list of smart functions in the EQE just goes on: The air in the cabin is filtered to free it from impurities and pollutants… even before you get into the car; the torque is checked 10,000 times per minute which makes its response as quick as an arrow; a camera checks the driver’s eyelids for signs of micro sleeping… basically, this is an intelligent car.
Consistent with Mercedes’s commitment to sustainability, the EQE is one of the first vehicles to be built with 100 per cent recycled steel, which reduces CO2 emissions by more than 60 per cent. The battery is certified for 10 years or up to 250,000 kilometres and is one of the most sustainable in terms of its cell chemistry. Energy from renewable sources is fed into the grid for charging current sourced via Mercedes me Charge, which has a network of 700,000 public charging stations around the world (more than 300,000 of them in Europe). And finally… what we have all been dreaming of being able to juice up but just plugging the car into a charging point, no need to register with a hundred different companies or hand over your personal data or your credit card or anything at all. You do that the first time and never again. This is at present only available with the Mercedes I Charge Plug & Charge function but hopefully, others will soon follow suit.
The Mercedes EQE is one of the first vehicles to be built with 100 per cent recycled steel, which reduces CO2 emissions by more than 60 per cent.
The Mercedes EQE is available in three models: 350+, 350+ AMG and 500. The EQE 350+ (WLTP: combined electrical consumption: 18.7-15.9 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km). OTR from £73,450.
Words: Julia Pasarón
Pictures with our editor: Dirk Weyhenmeyer
Video: Lukas Müller
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