Luxurious electric SUV has an impressive range and an eye-catching interior On sale Spring 2023 Price from £83,000 (est)
Darren Moss Darren.Moss@haymarket.com
WHEN MCDONALD’S FIRST opened in 1955, it offered a single size of fizzy drink: 207ml. Today, you can order your beverage in three different volumes, ranging from 354-887ml. Not only does this show you that appetites have grown, but it also explains the thinking behind the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.
You see, having started with just one electric SUV (the sizeable EQC), the Mercedes EQ SUV range now also encompasses the smaller EQA, bigger EQB and supersized EQS.The EQE slots neatly in between the EQC and EQS SUVs, retaining a price tag closer to the former by not being as vast as the latter. Underneath, the EQE SUV shares much of its technological make-up with the EQE saloon launched earlier this year, including that car’s 90kWh battery.
Four versions of the EQE SUV will initially be available, with the entry-level EQE 350+ using a single 288bhp electric motor to drive its rear wheels. Officially, this version can travel for up to 366 miles on a charge.That means the cheapest EQE has a range advantage over the equivalent version of the rival BMW iX, as well as the upcoming Audi Q8 e-tron.
Next up is the EQE 350 4Matic, which, as its name suggests, has four-wheel drive courtesy of a second electric motor that drives the front wheels.Total power is unchanged, but the range dips to 346 miles.
Then comes the EQE 500 4Matic, which packs a total of 402bhp from its dual motors and can officially cover up to 339 miles between charges. A range-topping AMG model will also be offered, with sportier styling and even more power from its dual electric motors.Totalling 617bhp, they’re claimed to be able to haul the EQE SUV from 0-62mph in just 3.5sec.
The EQE SUV can charge at a rate of up to 170kW, meaning a 10-80% top-up could take as little as 30 minutes if you can find a suitably powerful charging point.There’s also a regenerative braking system that recovers energy that would otherwise be lost while you slow down and feeds it back into the battery. In its strongest setting, buyers will be able to drive the EQE SUV using the accelerator pedal alone most of the time.
As an option, you can have the EQE with four-wheel steering, which aims to make the car feel more agile by enabling the rear wheels to turn in the opposite direction to the fronts at low speeds.
The centrepiece of the EQE SUV’s interior is its huge, 17.7in infotainment screen, which controls almost every function.There’s also
