Mercedes has unveiled the fourth addition to its all-electric line-up, the EQE SUV, in Paris.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV joins the EQS sedan and SUV, plus the almost-identically named EQE sedan, on the premium German brand’s all-electric EQ line-up. The EQE thus sits on the same 400-volt EV platform and shares the traditional EQ ‘face’, complete with blanked off front grille and large three-pointed star logo.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Essentially a paired down version of the EQS flagship (five seats rather than seven), the EQE is being geared towards a younger clientele.
Two editions of the EQE SUV – the 350 4Matic and the 500 4Matic – will be available to the Canadian market, both of which boast two electric motors powering all four wheels. Combined power for the entry level 350 is a 288 hp and 564 lb ft, while the larger 500 hikes this to 402 hp and 603 lb ft, lining the latter up nicely with BMW’s iX. Though estimated ranges for North America have yet to be finalised – a 540 km range has been speculated – both editions feature DC 170 kW fast-charging capacity, meaning topping up from zero to 80 per cent could take just over half an hour.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
An onboard heat pump keeps the as-of-yet-undetermined battery in its prime operating window to preserve range, and also redirects ‘waste heat’ from electrical componentry to warm the cabin. In a neat touch, the heat pump is configured to pre-heat the cabin when the vehicle is unlocked but before the electric motors are switched on. Two-zone (front) climate control is configured as standard, though four-zone is available.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Said to boast “the essential innovations of the EQS” whilst being “simultaneously more dynamic,” Mercedes is keenly pushing the EQE’s agility, hence the shorter wheelbase compared with the larger EQS SUV – at 3,030 mm in length, the wheelbase is nine centimetres shorter – and bespoke tuning to the four-link / multi-link suspension (air suspension can also be optioned). Rear axle steering, the likes of which has also been implemented on the EQS, suggests sharper and reactive handling.
When venturing off the beaten track, vehicle ride height can also be increased by up to 30 mm, while an ‘Offroad’ option is part of the five-way drive mode. Overhangs at the front and back have necessarily been kept short to further improve ground clearance.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Though the 350 and the 500 are an identical 4,863 mm in length (262 mm shorter than the EQS), 1,940 mm wide and 1,686 mm high, inner cargo space does differ, the former offering 520 litres as opposed to the latter’s 580 litres. Fold the rear seats down and you get a full 1,675 litres. Also found in the EQS sedan, an optional MBUX Hyperscreen – essentially three screens mounted seamlessly to merge into one – dominates the cabin, providing 141 cm of infotainment touchscreen. A separate 12.3 in OLED screen (essentially hyper LED) can be mounted exclusively for the front passenger, which uses “intelligent, camera-based blocking logic” to automatically dim the screen if the system ‘sees’ the driver looking rather than paying attention to the road. Over-the-air functionality helps keep the system updated.
And because that’s not high tech enough, there’s also an ‘Energizing Air Control Plus’ filter, which cleans the outside air coming into the cabin to “enhance [the driver’s] physical comfort and performance.”
Though Mercedes Canada has not yet confirmed pricing for the EQE SUV, production is set to begin at Mercedes’ Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama this December, with batteries supplied from the brand’s new production facility in Bibbs County. Customer deliveries are expected to begin early next year.
