The Mercedes-Benz EQE hasn’t quite delivered what ‘Das Haus’ expected of it, and after only about four years, a successor is already in the pipeline. We are talking about the Mercedes-Benz E-class with EQ technology. Quite a mouthful; as the name already reveals, it is much more an E-class than the EQE.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE entered the Dutch market almost four years ago, and since then, about 1,800 units have been registered. This certainly doesn’t make it a sales hit, and internationally, Mercedes-Benz undoubtedly expected more from it. A common criticism, also for its larger sibling the EQS, is that it is too far removed from its combustion-engine counterpart.
That is to say: the EQE has a significantly different exterior, which, with its clear focus on the lowest possible drag coefficient (Cw value), apparently doesn’t sufficiently appeal to the traditional Mercedes customer. Stuttgart has come to realize that a more conventional approach might work better. For example, the new GLC with EQ technology is already designed somewhat more traditional than the EQC, and the new, also fully electric, CLA also clearly deviates from the EQE and EQS.
For the new electric sibling of the E-class, Mercedes-Benz is also starting with a clean slate. The Germans draw some inspiration from existing cars here and there, but the EQE clearly isn’t one of them. As our illustrator shows here, it will be – especially compared to the EQE – a car that you wouldn’t recognize as an EV at first glance. That’s precisely the intention. If we were to claim that we have the new E-class in front of us here, you would probably believe it.
Classic Proportions
While the EQE, to put it irreverently, somewhat resembles a suppository in shape, the electric E-class will adopt proportions we are accustomed to from its combustion-engine equivalent. Broadly speaking, at least, as both the nose and the rear may be proportionally somewhat shorter. We base this, for now, on a shadowy teaser photo and spy shots of a camouflaged prototype. Flush door handles will be present, and the bodywork is quite rounded in various aspects to achieve optimal aerodynamics despite the more conventional lines. Mercedes-Benz has already shown with the electric GLC that it can achieve a good Cw value, and if the electric E-class also borrows technology from that GLC, then the EQE can be easily surpassed.
It is highly likely that the E-class with EQ technology will be based on a similar (but longer) platform as the GLC. In any case, it will be a variant of the new MB.EA platform. Expect 800V technology, with a peak charging capacity of at least 330 kW. A range of over 700 km according to the WLTP cycle is almost certain, as even the CLA already achieves this. For illustration: the EQE has a range of 670 km with a 96-kWh battery pack, while the electric E-class might achieve its greater range from a 94-kWh unit. These are clear improvements. Air suspension is, presumably at an extra cost, available for a significant dose of comfort, and we expect a considerable frunk with possibly over 100 liters of space.
Screen Extravaganza
A brand-new luxury EV is not complete without an abundance of visual stimuli through screens in the interior. The E-class with EQ technology is no exception to this. Here too, a Hyperscreen will be present, which, judging by the screen in the electric GLC, could possibly be about a meter wide. It is highly likely that standard features will ‘only’ include a digital instrument cluster and a separate 14-inch central screen integrated into the dashboard.
If you prefer classic indulgence, you probably won’t have to skip the electric E-class either. There will likely be no shortage of ‘chrome’ accents in the interior, and as always, you can count on beautiful finishes with (artificial or real) leather and wood. For some extra light in the interior, there’s ambient lighting, and a panoramic roof will likely also be on the options list. What it will all cost, we will probably hear at the earliest by the end of this year, as we expect it on the Dutch market only in 2027.