Mercedes-Benz EQE EV revealed, launching here in 2022
The Mercedes-Benz EQE is the car that looks set to eventually kill off the E-Class as the German brand transitions to an all-EV range by 2030.
Mercedes has revealed the new EQE EV that packs all the brilliant tech of the EQS into a more compact and affordable package.
The production-ready Mercedes-EQ EQE was unveiled overnight at Europe’s first major motor show in two years, the 2021 Munich IAA.
The aerodynamic sedan will go on sale in Australia in the second half of 2022. Though it will cost less than the big EQS, the first model to use Mercedes-Benz’s all-new and purpose-designed EV platform, the EQE will have pretty much all of the same tech.
It will feature the same innovative six-phase electric motor design in its rear axle, for example, plus all the brand’s latest safety and driver assist systems. And the jaw-dropping Hyperscreen instrument panel display will be available in the EQE, too.
Plus the EQE will get over-the-air updates to keep the car up to date and potentially introduce new features throughout its life.
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While Mercedes isn’t giving away too many details, the first variant of the EQE into production will have a range of up to 660km from its 90kWh battery pack. Maximum power of this EQE350 will be 215kW, delivered only to the rear wheels via a single electric motor.
There were no details on the second variant that will launch alongside the EQE350 next year, but Mercedes-Benz confirms dual-motor all-wheel-drive EQEs are planned, including a high-performance version with “up to 500kW”. There’s every chance that could be an AMG version using some of the EV thinking in the just-revealed EQS53 AMG.
When hooked up to a powerful DC fast charger, the EQE will be able to add 250km of driving range in 15 minutes.
The ultra-aerodynamic “one-bow” style developed by Mercedes-Benz designers for the EQS works better on the smaller EQE, thanks to its shorter wheelbase.
The EQE is much more spacious than the E-Class sedan. Its interior is significantly longer and wider. Unlike the EQS, the EQE doesn’t have a liftback to access its big 430-litre cargo compartment. There’s a bootlid instead.
Noting that one in 10 customers is already choosing to buy an EV, Mercedes-Benz chief Ola Kallenius said he’s counting on the EQE to accelerate the trend.
The EQE will be produced in both Germany and China, although cars from the Beijing factory will go only to Chinese customers.
No word yet on how much the EQE will cost, but it will clearly be less than the EQS that’s expected to start at around $250K. It will also clearly be well into six figures and cost more than an E-Class, which currently starts at about $100K.
