The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
For the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, having an all-electric powertrain is just the beginning of the sustainability story.
“Sustainability is getting more and more expected in the car,” said Julia Raizner, a sustainability spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz Group AG, during an event where we drove the $100,000 car from Lisbon to Ericeira, Portugal. “Our customers expect that from us.”
From 2030 on, Mercedes-Benz passenger cars will be built from 40-per-cent recycled materials. But it may be a battle to convince consumers to change their perceptions of luxury.
“People always say recycled materials and luxury don’t fit together, but we say it does,” said Raizner. “The environment changed and it’s important to show [drivers] that we can also make high-quality and luxury products even with recycled materials. There’s no disadvantage in the end.”
The EQE SUV, like many EVs, has a battery that runs along the floor, meaning decent headroom for backseat passengers.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
This is the first EQ electric vehicle from Mercedes with a leather-free interior, which is standard on the base EQE 350 model. In the cabin, the microfibre fleece fabric seat upholstery, headliner and pillar trims are made from 40-per-cent recycled plastic bottle flakes, as are parts of the floor mats. The flooring is made with recycled fishing nets and carpet scraps. For the chassis bearings, the rubber granulates and textile fibres are made from shredded car tires.
Both the EQE and its battery are produced at net-carbon-neutral facilities. Since 2022, all Mercedes vehicle and battery assembly sites use electricity that comes exclusively from renewable sources. The EQE is made in Tuscaloosa, Ala. and the battery plant is located in nearby Bibb County. From 2024, the U.S. battery plant will cover all of its electricity needs using solar energy.
The battery management software, which allows for over-the-air updates, has a thermal architecture and a standard heat pump – which is an improvement over other electric models in the lineup, like the EQS which doesn’t have a heat pump. The heat pump helps improve electric range because it captures the waste heat from the electric drive (inverter and electric motor) and the high-voltage battery and uses it to heat the cabin. As a result, the range is increased by up to 10 per cent.
In Canada, the EQE will come in two versions: EQE 350 4MATIC and EQE 500 4MATIC. The 500 has a range of 433 kilometres; while the 350 gets 407 kilometres, which is low compared to the competition. Mercedes says the reason for the difference in range is because the 500 was certified on summer tires, while the 350 was certified on all-seasons. The EQE 500 has 402 horsepower and 633 lb-ft of torque, which launches this SUV to 100 kilometres per hour in 4.9 seconds – the EQE 350 does it in 6.6 seconds with its 288 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque.
The higher-end 500 model of the EQE SUV comes with a massive hyperscreen that spans the width of the dash.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
On the road, the EQE 500 is a nice compact size with agile and nimble road manners; it handles the sweeping mountain roads beautifully with little cabin noise. The EQE offers different modes of energy recovery through regenerative braking. I’m not a fan of the intelligent recuperation mode – it’s too jarring when coming to a stop. In normal/auto mode, it regulates the optimal recuperation automatically and decelerates to a stop more smoothly without having to press the brake pedal. Overall, the electric range is true to real-life driving. We started at Lisbon with a range displayed between 368 to 383 kilometres. After driving about 100 kilometres in about an hour on highway and rural mountain roads to Ericeira, we ended with 280 to 301 kilometres of range. The EQE 500 also gets the added bonus of a massive screen, which spans across the entire dashboard and includes a separate viewing area for passengers in the front seat. It’s far more engaging than the 350′s smaller centre screen.
Production of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV started in Alabama in December 2022 and is expected to arrive at Canadian dealerships in Q2 of 2023.
Tech specs
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV
- Prices: 350 - $94,900; 500 - $104,900
- Motors/drive: dual electric, permanently excited synchronous motors/all-wheel drive
- Battery capacity: 90.6 kilowatt-hours
- Claimed Range (kilometres): EQE 350 – 407; EQE 500 – 433
- Horsepower/torque (lb-ft): EQE 350 – 288/564; EQE 500 – 402/633
- On-board charger: 9.6 kW
- Alternatives: Tesla Model Y, Audi Q4 e-tron, Cadillac Lyriq, Genesis GV70, Jaguar I-Pace
Looks
The grille on the EQE SUV features the iconic star against a black background, which includes smaller white stars.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
An elegant, sophisticated design with a sweeping coupe-like profile. At the front, the iconic star stands out against a large dark front grille with smaller white stars. Flush door handles improve aerodynamics and give it a clean, sleek look.
Interior
The EQE 500′s interior is superior to the EQE 350 owing to the larger screen with three high-resolution displays that stretch across the dashboard. Even the front passenger gets their own 12.3-inch OLED display to watch movies or stream videos. And if the driver tries to watch, a camera-based blocking system automatically dims the content so it can’t be seen.
Performance
Both the 350 and 500 are smooth, comfortable, quiet and confident on the road. The 500 is more powerful and spirited when merging onto the highway or passing slower-moving vehicles, but it feels heavier, too. Drive modes include eco, comfort, sport, individual and off-road. Both models could benefit from more range to ease anxiety on longer road trips.
Technology
Standard safety technology includes attention assist, active-brake assist and lane-keep assist. The cabin also has a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter that cleans the incoming outside air – up to 99.75 per cent of particles are filtered out.
Cargo
The EQE SUV comes with 520 litres of cargo space behind the second-row seats and 1,675 litres when the seats are folded down.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Ample cargo space with 520 litres behind the second-row seats. Drop the second-row seats and it expands to 1,675 litres. There’s no front trunk or access under the hood. A tiny driver’s side port allows drivers to add windshield wiper fluid.
The verdict
Another sleek, stylish electric SUV from Mercedes-Benz that has a more environmentally-friendly footprint thanks to the use of more sustainable products and materials.
The writer was a guest of the automaker. Content was not subject to approval.
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