Mercedes

EQE

The Mercedes EQE is a fully-electrified family saloon car that boasts striking good looks, impressive performance and a very decent driving range between charges.

The good

Styling and driving range

The bad

Quite pricey to buy

Tech Specs

Price from

£74,345

Combined Fuel up to

Up to 384 driving range

0-62 from

3.5 seconds

max speed up to

137mph

co2 from

0g/km

Test Drive

Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ AMG Line Premium Plus  (2023)

Mercedes is aiming to capture the all-electric saloon market with the launch of its striking and generously-equipped new EQE model.

Although the car is based on the appeal and practicalities of the E-Class, it has been given the EQ treatment and that’s Mercedes name for all things electric,

The EQE line-up is formed of trims called AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus and Exclusive Luxury. But customers can also choose from a range of power outputs. For example, the EQE 300 delivers 245hp, the EQE 350 has 292hp, the EQE 350+ is 292hp. And there is a mighty Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 Night Edition model that offers 625hp.

We opted for the EQE 350+ AMG Line Premium Plus which was priced at £88,450, although Spectral blue metallic paint added a further £895 to the final cost.

Design-wise, the EQE looks very much like a scaled-down version of its EQS sibling with beautiful streamlining and curves. There are 21-inch AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, sweeping digital light clusters, tinted windows, AMG exterior styling along with powered door handles that are flush to the bodywork.

The cabin is equally impressive and upmarket with neatly upholstered seats that are power-adjustable and can be heated to fend off the winter chill. The main focal points are the large upright infotainment screen, which is the car’s nerve centre, and the 12.3-inch driver instrument cluster display.

On-board-tech is plentiful and includes a Burmester surround sound system, digital radio, full navigation, pre-entry climate control, a fingerprint scanner and plenty more besides.

There are very few physical buttons but many of the car’s functions can be operated via the personal assistant. This is brought to life by saying ‘Hey Mercedes’ and it can assist with a number of requests such as adjusting the cabin temperature, finding radio stations, making a phone call or plotting a sat nav route.

Our test car was powered by a 90kWh lithium-ion high-voltage battery, delivering 292hp and 565Nm of torque. With instant pace out the starting blocks, it could reach from 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds and topped out at 130mph. But perhaps the most important stat, especially during the really cold snap we have been experiencing, is the driving range between charges which is from 356 to 394 miles.

The EQE is certainly a very comfortable motorway cruiser, quickly reaching the 70mph speed limit and it will sit there effortlessly mile after miles. But it’s also very capable when faced with more challenging B roads with lots of twists and turns. Grip levels are confident and the car feels perfectly balanced as it powers in and out of tighter bends.

The driver can switch through steering wheel-mounted paddles that adjust the level of regenerative braking and there are drive modes called Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual that alter the reactions of the car.

The vehicle does feel quite long in busier town centre settings as it stetches almost five metres in length. But manoeuvring into a tight parking space is made all the easier thanks to sensors and a reversing camera.

Inside the car, there is bundles of space up front to stretch out and back seat passengers also benefit from ample leg room. The rear seats do slope backwards quite sharply and six-foot-plus passengers may find their hair brushing against the headlining. That’s due to the steeply tapered roofline of the EQE.

The boot is accessed via a powered lid and can accommodate 430 litres of kit. This limit can be increased to 895 litres with the rear seats folded forward but, unlike some rivals, there is no added space beneath the bonnet.

However, there are a number of handy storage options throughout the cabin. These include a huge compartment under the central console with an elasticated strap to keep items in place. There is a good-sized glovebox, door bins, trays, seat back pockets, front and rear cup holders, as well as a deep cubby box. A wireless charging pad, along with a number of USB ports, will keep all devices fully connected on the move.

When it comes to charging the EQE’s 90kWh battery, a 10-80 per cent boost takes 32 minutes via a public rapid charge (110kW) point. Or from a standard wallbox it takes eight hours, 30 minutes to charge from 10 to 100 per cent.

Another noteworthy attribute is the car’s battery warranty. Mercedes clearly has full confidence in its reliability and longevity as it is supplied with 10-years of battery cover or 155,000 miles.

All in all, the Mercedes EQE is a fabulous fully electric family saloon car that ticks all the right boxes when it comes to luxury, performance, practicality and style. Pricey yes, but definitely worth exploring if you have that sort of budget at your disposal.