MUNICH - The new Mercedes-Benz EQE has been revealed to the world at the IAA show in Munich, and as its name implies it’s something of an E-Class for the electric age. While it doesn’t replace its internal combustion sibling just yet, the writing is certainly on the wall.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE is the second model, after the larger EQS, to be based around the company’s new EAV2 architecture. This means that unlike the smaller Mercedes EQA, EQB and EQC models, which are built around adapted versions of the existing internal combustion car platforms, the EQE has been spawned from an architecture that’s dedicated to electric vehicles.
Mercedes says the new EQE is comparable in size to the current CLS and thanks to the space-efficient platform that places the batteries at floor level, the new electric sedan has more interior room than the current E-Class, with the interior being a whole 80mm longer. The boot capacity is listed at 430 litres.
The first variant to hit the streets will be the EQE 350, which has a 215kW, 530Nm electric motor mounted on the rear axle. Other variants, including 4Matic all-wheel drive models with an additional motor in the front axle, will follow at a later stage, as will performance models with up to 500kW on tap.
Providing the juice is a 90kWh battery that allows for a range of up to 660km between charges on the WLTP cycle, Mercedes says. A DC box with a charging capacity of up to 170 kW is fitted on board for fast charging via direct current. This should allow for a quick 15-minute charge that allows for an extra 250km of range.
The EQE will be available with the new MBUX Hyperscreen that made its debut on the EQS. This consists of three screens spread across the dashboard under a large glass cover that makes them appear as one screen. This set-up includes a 12.3-inch OLED display for the front passenger, who can watch video content while on the move. Interestingly, the car has a sensor that can detect if the driver is watching this content instead of the road ahead, and if that is the case it automatically dims the content.
According to Mercedes, the MBUX system has adaptive software that adapts to its user and makes personalised suggestions for numerous infotainment and comfort functions. Furthermore, the display area of the MBUX Hyperscreen can be personalised with up to seven different profiles. The car’s system, with 24 GB of RAM, can be updated over the air.
For a cushier ride, buyers can opt for an Airmatic air suspension system with ADS+ adaptive damping, and rear-axle steering is also on the options list and said to make the large sedan as manoeuvrable as a compact car.
"After the EQS, the EQE is already the second model on our new platform for luxury- and premium-class electric vehicles,” said Mercedes board member Markus Schäfer. “This speed of innovation shows the advantages of the scalable architecture: With the new EQE, we can quickly make the high-tech solutions of our electric flagship EQS available to a wider group of buyers.
“And our production flexibility reaches new heights with the EQE: at the Bremen plant, where the versions for the world market roll off the production line, four other models are already in production.”