A rival for the BMW iX, Jaguar I-Pace, upcoming Polestar 3 and Tesla Model 3, the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV arrives in 2023 as a premium battery-powered model.
Offered in regular Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV guise as well as the high-performance Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV, the new electric SUV sits below the EQS SUV in the German company’s ever-growing range of electric cars.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV will command higher prices than the Mercedes-Benz EQE saloon, which costs from around £75,000. Expect prices starting at roughly £90,000, with many versions carrying six-figure price tags.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV will begin production at the firm’s Alabama car factory in the United States later this year. It means a UK release date in summer 2023 is expected.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV closely follows the ultra-aerodynamic exterior style of the German premium brand’s other Mercedes-EQ pure electric cars. It has short overhangs, with large wheels sized from 19 inches to 22 inches, positioned flush with the body.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a distinctive black panel front unit, mirroring other Mercedes-EQ models. This can optionally be livened up with a Mercedes-Benz 3D star pattern. The headlights have distinctive daytime LED running lights, plus a light bar in-between.
To reinforce the rugged SUV look the wheelarch claddings are black, rather than body-coloured, as are the side sill panels. The side window line raises as it moves rearwards, to emphasise the bulging rear wheelarches. The car’s rear end has a clean appearance and, yes, another full-width LED light bar. Oddly though, retractable door handles are an option, rather than standard-fit.
The sweeping roofline, flat windscreen and highly-detailed underbody help the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV boast a drag factor (Cd) from just 0.25: an exceptionally good figure for a large SUV. Mercedes-Benz says fine-tuning the shape has also helped reduce perceived wind noise.
Compared to the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, high-performance Mercedes-AMG EQS SUV versions have a distinctive Panamerica-style front grille, chunkier bumpers, alternative alloy wheel designs and other visual tweaks.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has dimensions measuring 4,863mm long, 1,940mm wide and 1,686mm tall. This makes it more compact than the Mercedes-Benz EQE saloon, thanks to a wheelbase that’s a notable 90mm shorter.
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is a five-seater, with the firm insisting it has a ‘very generous’ amount of interior space. There’s more than a metre of headroom both front and rear, with the subjective sense of space improved by ample elbow room.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a 520-litre boot as standard, and the rear seats split 40/20/40. The rear-seat backrest can also be angled more steeply, creating 580 litres of space. With the rear seat folded flat, the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a 1,675-litre boot.
Inside, the highlight of the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is its high-quality, luxurious and appealing dashboard. It’s the same design as used in the Mercedes-Benz EQE saloon, adapted to the taller and more open-plan interior here. The upper vent band blends into the doors and the whole interior is enhanced with ambient lighting.
It’s a digital-first design, based around a large OLED central touchscreen and an additional 12.3-inch digital driver’s display. A striking extra-cost option is the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV’s Hyperscreen setup, which uses a brilliant 17.7-inch central screen and two 12.3-inch displays, one for the driver and one for the passenger. The whole setup is enclosed in glass for a seamless appearance.
The Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV gets the same cabin architecture but with detail changes, including Alcantara headlining and red highlights throughout. There's also different performance displays in the infotainment.
There are three core new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV models; the EQE 350+, the EQE 350 4Matic and the EQE 500 4Matic. Both Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 350 models have 288PS of power, with the 4Matic delivering four-wheel drive. The Mercedes-EQE SUV 500 4Matic produces 402PS. Performance figures have not yet been disclosed.
All models share a 90.6kWh lithium ion battery. The EQE 350+ has the longest range, being capable of up to 366 miles. Even the EQE 500 4Matic can travel almost 340 miles between charges. All new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUVs can use speedy 170kW DC rapid charging, giving around 135 miles of range in just 15 minutes.
The Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV is offered in two guises: the 476PS EQE 43 4Matic and the EQE 53 4matic+. With the optional AMG Dynamic Plus Package, the latter offers up to 687PS. The EQE 43 4Matic will do 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds, while the EQE 53 4Matic+ rockets from 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has high-end, multi-link suspension. It’s also available with optional Airmatic air suspension, with ADS+ continuously variable damping. Four-wheel-drive 4Matic models have an off-road mode and the Airmatic suspension can be raised by up to 30mm.
Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 4Matic four-wheel-drive models can tow an impressive 1,800kg (the standard model is capped at 750kg). A smart and useful option is rear axle steering, which can turn the rear wheels at an angle of up to 10 degrees. It reduces the turning circle of the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV from 12.3 metres to 10.5 metres.
If you can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV – or aren’t yet ready to go fully electric – why not take a look at the current Mercedes-Benz GLE? It’s offered in both regular guise and the more rakish Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.
The current Mercedes-Benz GLE was introduced in 2019, with the GLE Coupe following a year later. There’s a wide range of engines, with the GLE 350 proving particularly popular – and there’s also a plug-in hybrid GLE 350e petrol and GLE 350de diesel. With a large 31.2kWh battery, they are capable of up to 60 miles on pure electric power before the engine kicks in.
We saw a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE 300d 4Matic AMG Line Premium, with less than 30,000 miles on the clock, on sale for £45,995. This sparking black model was fully manufacturer-approved, too.
Exciting new cars recently covered here at heycar include all you need to know about the forthcoming new Volvo EX90 electric SUV, a preview of the new Renault 4 EV, plus the full lowdown on the thrilling new BMW M2. Read our new car news round-up to get the latest on all upcoming cars for 2023 and beyond.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV will be able to travel for up to 366 miles on a full battery. That compares with up to 380 miles for the latest BMW iX xDrive50.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has Eco Assist, which delivers situation-optimised energy recuperation. This includes automatically using recuperative deceleration as much as possible.
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a head pump as standard. This helps boost the efficiency of the climate control system, and also means the cabin can be heated almost immediately after starting on a cold winter day.
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