Mercedes Benz have unveiled their brand new EV – the EQE SUV along with the first electric AMG SUV on offer in the form of the EQE AMG SUV.
Exterior design
The squared off design with this brand new entry into Merc’s EQ electric brand is a fresh face in its current lineups basically following the same design as the EQS sedan. This one has an optional star pattern grille on the front, full LED laser headlamps and a whole lot more of cuts and inlets to keep it cool as it offers premium luxury and sports car level performance specs. From the side, the EQE SUV represents basically a shorter version of the EQS SUV which overhangs the rear wheels as a limousine. Personally, I find the EQE and the EQE SUV to be much more balanced and proportionate in nature as compared to the EQS series.
The EQE SUV comes with optional 22″ wheels with the aero dynamic design but the standard variants just start with 19″ alloys. Coming over to the rear, the full LED taillights will resemble the other EQ branded SUVs very likely and there isn’t much to talk about. There is an LED light bar connecting the two taillights and the rest of the rear is absolutely flush with no design elements or inlets or anything whatsoever. A minimalist might actually like the rear but I think the higher up taillights makes it look a lot bland.
Coming over to the design elements of the EQE AMG, there’s a bit more to talk about there. Being an EV, the car doesn’t exactly need to have a lot more creases and aggressive openings because there is no additional turbocharger which will need as much air to suck up as it can get. Here, the electric motors are of higher power and represent what the future of auto-enthusiasts represents. Even though they might not want to admit it! There is a different front grille design, more aggressive canards and openings in the front bumpers. There is no visible change on the side and the rear gets a lot more depth and character thanks to a blacked out diffuser section yet a pair of fake exhaust vents that aren’t even fake open anymore.
Interior
As far as the interiors are concerned, it gets the now infamous Mercedes Hyperscreen MBUX system with screen real-estate galore! It has the 12.8 inch infotainment along with a 12.3 inch OLED driver info display plus a third screen (probably optional) for the passenger. It is almost identical to the EQS or the EQS SUV or even the EQE saloon, sometimes it feels Mercedes goes out of their way to make names and identification of its cars difficult. Not by design but actually by choice!
Performance specs
THIS is the interesting bit especially for the next few years when we’ll contiue to see the evolution of e-mobility all around the world. The launch model of the EQE SUV is an RWD variant which will use the same 90.6kWh battery pack that powers the base model of the EQS. The expected range is 550 kilometers (341 miles) of driving on a full charge which is based on the more lenient European WLTP standards, so assume the range to be in between 480-500 Kms realistically.
It is obviously less range than the EQE saloon o the same battery since, it has a more aerodynamic shape and smaller wheels, leading to 660 kilometers (410 miles) of range. The RWD variant of the EQE SUV will put out 288 HP, or 536HP for the AWD version. The juicy bits though, lie in the AMG EQE which will produce a whopping 677HP. Mercedes claims 0-60 mph times of 6.3 seconds for the EQE 350+, 6.2 seconds for the EQE 350 4Matic(AWD), and just 4.6 seconds for the EQE 500 4Matic. All three will have a top speed limited to 130-mph. As with other Mercedes EQ models, rear-axle steering and air suspension are available as options across the EQE SUV lineup.
Mercedes has been on a rampage to develop their EV portfolio as quickly as possible as the company looks to fulfill its “All-electric by 2030” promise. The company is next set to reveal an all electric G-class is 2024 which will be one of the most anticipated launches of the time. The EQE SUV has all the ingredients of a blockbuster in its segments. Couple that with the reliability of a German giant like Mercedes and it seems hard to justify recommending anything else. All of it now depends on pricing.
