Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ AMG Line Review: The Right-Sized EQ to Have
Electric cars are quite a common sight on our local roads now. In fact, you may now get a slightly muted response if you told someone you were driving an electric car as compared to a year or two back when Tesla’s were the hottest topic in town. However, the Mercedes EQE tested here is still an exciting product from the Stuttgart brand.
Why so? The E-Class saloon has always been a ‘bread-and-butter’ car for Mercedes that epitomises quality, luxury and prestige for the Executive. The EQE is the E-class of the future (under the Mercedes EQ full-electric sub-brand) and it has big shoes to fill in the Singaporean market in order to justify its relevance to the more traditional buyers of an E-Class.
Like its petrol-powered brethren, the EQE looks like a mini-EQS just like how an E-Class typically has strong design cues inspired by the larger S-class. I personally think that the EQE looks better and more proportionate than the EQS with its shorter wheelbase and overhangs. By no means is this a small car. The EQE still measures 4,946mm long and 1,961mm wide.
Translate this into physical space and the EQE has an additional 27 mm of shoulder room at the front and an additional 80 mm of interior length as compared to the current E-Class (W213 model series).
The EQE would fit right into the set of a Sci-Fi movie. The black panel radiator grille with the central Mercedes star takes centre stage and the pod-like EQE looks just like a business saloon from the future, or rather, for the future. Mercedes calls this design language Sensual Purity where the car has generously modelled surfaces and a seamless design. When viewed from the rear, the car looks very sleek and dynamic and has a sharp rear spoiler too.
Spec-ed in AMG Line, the EQE comes with an AMG bodykit that includes an AMG-specific front bumper and rear apron. The side skirts come in gloss black and this test unit came shod in 21-inch rims.
The EQE is built with sustainability in mind. The car is built with steel from Salzgitter AG, which is 100% recycled, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions during rolled steel production by more than 60%. The engineers have also achieved a low aerodynamic coefficient of 0.22 through extensive measures. These include wind-tunnel optimised rims, tyres with optimised geometry, continuous seals in the front area of the car and more, just to allow the car to cut through the air easily.
On the inside, the EQE has an avantgarde design element. The large wooden dash comes integrated with a 11.9” central floating screen that houses the excellent MBUX multimedia system. Interior quality is excellent and the materials used feel solid to touch. An example would be the outer aircon vents by the door that have a turbine design that feels hefty and is actually designed to distribute airflow efficiently.
Passengers can enjoy abundant legroom at the rear. Perhaps due to the battery pack being stored beneath the floor, I found the seat squab angled slightly too much, which may affect taller passengers.
On the go, the EQE is an excellent grand tourer. In this EQE350+ form, the car comes with a single rear-drive 90kWh motor that produces 292 hp and 565 Nm. 0 to 100 takes 6.4s which is fast but not surprising for an electric car. The car also has a range of up to 669 km according to WLTP. Whilst we managed to achieve 500 km during our test drive, it is still an impressive real-world range for an electric vehicle.
Day to day motoring in this car is effortless thanks to the cossetting ride from the air suspension and excellent NVH comfort levels. The car also comes with 4-wheel steering that reduces the turning radius of the car dramatically.
At S$449,888, the EQE350+ AMG Line is priced significantly higher than an E300e Avantgarde. However, the EQE promises a new experience into the world of electric vehicles and the future of motoring. What the EQE can provide is the ability for anyone to just drive-off without having to adjust to a new way of driving. It feels just like an ordinary car but with all the energy savings and environmental efficiency backing it up. That is the whole point isn’t it?
The EQE is very well executed which makes it easier for Mercedes traditionalists to accept the future of electric car motoring.
Photos by Horizon Drivers' Club
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