Mercedes-Benz EQE 500: First Drive Review

Mercedes’ EQE blends luxury, tech and instant performance in one practical package 

People have very high hopes from Mercedes-Benz. It's seen as the top luxury brand for most people known for their bold approach. But when it comes to their electric cars, they're being careful. Why is that?

The EQE is a luxury electric SUV that is priced at Rs 1.4 crore (ex-showroom). Other electric SUVs to consider at that price point are the Audi Q8 e-tron and the BMW iX. 

Subtle, Not Shouty

Most manufacturers have chosen to shout from the rooftops about them switching over to electric power. Not Mercedes-Benz. Their EVs, the EQE included, look like they’ve been billed out of a single block. Surfaces are smooth, easy on the eyes and generally understated in demeanor. 

From most angles, it’s hard to think of the EQE500 as an SUV. In pictures, it looks deceptively small. In person, the size seems apt for the price. However, it doesn’t seem to have the same presence as something similarly priced from Mercedes’ own stable, like the GLE or the GLS. 

There’s plenty to sit and stare at, though. On the grille sit over 270 little three-pointed stars — akin to what you’d find printed on your Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags. Unnecessary, but definitely has a sense of occasion. The headlamps themselves have 1.3million pixels of LED lighting each and a slender light bar connects the two. 

Humongous 20-inch alloy wheels, flush-fitting motorized door handles and subtle ‘EQE’ branding near the A-pillar are highlights on the side profile. On the co-driver’s side you’d also notice the rather unique spot to fill the washer-wiper fluid. The rear is standard Mercedes EQ fare with a large connected tail lamp with interesting graphics, and fake vents in the bumpers. 

While the EQE looks most definitely expensive, it’s not one to stamp its authority on the roads. This design is sure to sit well with those who don’t believe in being loud with their money. 

Familiar Is Good! 

Chances are you’ve already experienced a Mercedes-Benz before getting your hands on the EQE. That means you’ll see a whole lot of familiar bits and feel at home practically instantly. 

The design is a replica of the flagship EQS, merely adjusted to suit the dimensions of the EQE. Mercedes’s signature wraparound dashboard, the intricate circular air-conditioning vents and the interplay of leather, wood, screen and light is as typical as it gets. 

Quality is expectedly top-shelf too, for the most part. Everything you touch feels rich, and built to last. The clicks from the AC vents are super satisfying, and the open-pore wood on the central tunnel (slathered with Mercedes logos for good measure) feels so rich. There are some exceptions, such as the plastic panel behind the seat controls, and the USB charging enclosures both at the front and rear.

On the practicality front, the EQE feels par for the course. It’s got ample space for four six-footers. Rear seat occupants will find the seat squab to be shorter than they’d have liked, taking away crucial underthigh support. Mercedes has tried to counter this by lowering the hip point a little more, but that doesn’t eliminate the issue entirely. It’s also clearly not as backseat-oriented as other Mercedes vehicles in this price range. Other than the two zones of climate control and chargers, there’s nothing else for the occupants — no sunblinds, no rear entertainment options, no controls on the armrest.

As a family car, the EQE ticks the right boxes. The boot is spacious at 520 litres, however, a chunk of that is eaten up by the spare wheel. So, even if the range permits you to go on long weekend trips with the EQE, the boot space can be a hiccup. 

Features

At this price point, the EQE SUV gets all the features you can ask for. This includes: 

All these features work well to give you a properly luxurious experience. 

However, the highlight has to be Mercedes-Benz’s signature ‘Hyperscreen’. This is a combination of three screens — one for the front passenger, one central screen and one for the instrument cluster. 

As you would expect, display quality is fantastic in all three and the interface is easy to get used to. 

The front passenger's screen is a fun extra that can be useful only in specific situations. For example, if the passenger wants to adjust settings or play music without disturbing the driver, that can be done. Alternatively, you can even connect Bluetooth earphones to the screen but it’s simpler to just use your phone or iPad instead.

Performance

The Mercedes-Benz EQE has a large 90.5kWh battery, almost twice as large as what you get in affordable EVs. The claimed range is 550km, but in real-life driving, you can expect around 400km. 

When using a 170kW DC fast charger, the EQE500 can charge from 10 to 80 percent in approximately 30 minutes. If you use the AC home wallbox charger with a 22kW capacity, it takes about 5 to 6 hours to go from 10 to 100 percent.

It has a very powerful motor with 408PS and 858Nm of torque available instantly. Despite this, you will not really feel the urge to drive it fast or in an enthusiastic manner all the time. The power delivery is designed to be smooth and strong. 

Inside the city, driving is effortless. It is very easy to get used to the response of the accelerator. You can select levels of regenerative braking using the paddle shifters, although there’s no one-pedal driving mode here.Out on the highway, it is very comfortable cruising at speeds considered illegal in our country. 

Merecedes-Benz knows EVs miss the feel of driving a petrol-powered vehicle. And so they have tried to add some life to the driving experience with different sound modes which can be selected from the touchscreen. There’s ‘Silver Waves’ (sounds like a V6 petrol engine), ‘Vivid Flux’ (has a futuristic techno sound), and ‘Roaring Pulse’ (sounds like a sportscar). 

Ride and Handling

As you would expect from a Mercedes-Benz, the experience is very comfortable. Even though the EQE500 uses large 20-inch alloy wheels, the tyres have ample cushioning which helps limit the impact. Over really bad surfaces, you will notice the car move side-to-side quite significantly. 

There’s no exact figure for the ground clearance. However, the EQE should do well for most Indian conditions. Since it has air suspension, you can raise the ride height by 20mm. This should give you that extra peace of mind. However, we want to test this on familiar roads since we have ground clearance issues with Mercedes’ EQC electric SUV. 

Verdict

The Mercedes-Benz EQE500 4MATIC SUV is a fully imported model, which makes it quite expensive at Rs 1.39 crore (ex-showroom). Main reasons to consider the EQE is its luxurious interior, technology and the EV tag. That said, if you want more space and a larger vehicle for family use, SUVs such as the GLE or the GLS will make more sense.