When the titans of the automotive industry, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, announced their foray into electrification, they promised a streamlining of their model ranges, a focused approach to customer preferences, and a reduction in the number of model variants.

However, skeptics, including myself, suspected that these declarations might just be lip service, and the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is a testament to this notion.

Its existence, characterised by its size, price, and specifications, seems to be a direct response to the success of BMW’s iX flagship and Audi’s Q8 E-tron.

However, the sheer number of offerings from Mercedes-Benz’s EQ lineup already gives prospective buyers plenty to choose from. So, can the EQE SUV carve its own niche from the pack? Or more importantly, can it fit in?

Streamlined Smoothness

In terms of design, the EQE SUV detracts itself from its sedan counterpart. Ironically, it is lower by 4.4 inches, and more rounded, deviating from the taut lines of the sedans.

Despite being 2.4 inches shorter in length, it is nearly identical in width to its conventionally powered counterpart, the GLE.

The EQE SUV’s sleek design, coupled with its smooth underbody, contributes to an impressive drag coefficient of 0.25.

And this futuristic Macintosh-esque facade does turn plenty of heads around town. While its appearance may not appeal to everyone, especially those who prefer a more conventional design, it is in line with its competitors like the aforementioned BMW iX and Audi e-tron, each offering its own unique take on the modern SUV concept.

Luxury Tuned

The interior of the EQE SUV echoes the design of the EQE saloon, featuring high-quality materials that exude luxury and sophistication.

Stepping inside, you’re greeted by a substantial dashboard that may seem overwhelming at first thanks to its large screens and lack of buttons. Mercedes-Benz has opted for a traditional luxury approach with stitched leather and classic wood trims, contrasting BMW’s more modern material choices and designs.

While the interior is undeniably luxurious, some may find it lacking in freshness, as it mirrors most of the models in the current crop of Mercedes vehicles.

The sports steering wheel is substantial, adorned with a plethora of haptic touch buttons that may require some time to familiarize yourself with. The touchscreen interfaces are relatively user-friendly, although Mercedes’ UI may take some adjustment for those accustomed to other carmakers’ systems.

This review unit is the Electric Art trim, and comes equipped with a 12.3-inch driver display and a massive 12.8-inch central display.

Customers can even spring for the Hyperscreen in the EQE SUV, adding an additional 12.3-inch display on the passenger side. This display offers entertainment options, including games and access to streaming services through Mercedes’ subscription service.

However, Mercedes has taken measures to ensure that these entertainment features do not distract the driver. For example, the passenger display dims if the driver looks at it for more than two seconds, maintaining a focus on safety.

In terms of practicality, the EQE SUV offers ample space for passengers, with generous legroom in the back and reasonable accommodations for a middle passenger. The flat floor in the rear provides a comfortable seating arrangement, and the added headroom thanks to the taller roofline is much more accommodating to taller folk.

With 520 litres of flat boot space with the seats up and 1,675 litres with the seats down, the EQE SUV offers competitive storage capacity, comparable to rivals such as the BMW iX and Audi Q8 e-tron. My only slight complaint is the high boot floor, which may make heavy objects a challenge to lift.

Brisk Silence

The EQE SUV from Mercedes-Benz doesn’t exactly set the road on fire with its driving dynamics, but that’s not to say it’s a slouch either. Mercedes has made efforts to highlight the car’s sporty attributes, and it handles its size well.

Mechanically, the EQE SUV is quite conventional, based on Mercedes’ Electric Vehicle Architecture and offering familiar electric powertrain components. Its aerodynamic design also makes it Mercedes’ most efficient SUV to date, featuring innovative aerodynamic elements to enhance efficiency.

The standard air suspension handles road imperfections well, maintaining consistent ground clearance. However, the suspension setup can feel a bit floaty, potentially inducing a feeling of seasickness.

Weighing in at around 2.5 tonnes, the EQE SUV’s heft is noticeable, but manageable in the corners thanks to most of its bulk being centralised in the floor of the car.

The 10-degree rear-wheel steering offers better handling too, with sharp turn-in and improved maneuverability in urban settings. This is an absolute lifesaver in U-turns and tight parking spaces.

When muscle is needed, the EQE SUV 300 can accelerate to the century marker in 7.6 seconds. This is thanks to 241bhp and a healthy 550Nm of torque at your dispoal, and the car can sit in serene bliss at a top speed of 210km/h.

Although, the brakes can be a bit grabby, but the regenerative braking system provides smart regen for one-pedal driving.

In terms of efficiency, the EQE SUV achieved around 16.9kWh/100km during my time with it, and it gave me a range of 554km.

Suffice to say, its 89kWh battery is more than sufficient for the weekly commute, and even if you do run out of juice, the EQE SUV can be charged from 10-80 per cent in just 50 minutes with a suitable 100kW charger.

Sized Just Right

The EQE SUV from Mercedes-Benz to me is a nice sweet spot in terms of size and practicality. However, the steep price tag might deter would-be buyers from signing on the dotted line.

That’s not to say the EQE SUV doesn’t have its merits. It boasts solid construction, a decent driving experience (if you can resist the urge to push it too hard), and really good range. However, these qualities might not be compelling enough to justify the high price, especially when compared to more competitively priced alternatives in the market.

Despite this, the EQE SUV is a likeable and practical vehicle. It’s well-equipped, easy to live with, and offers a premium driving experience. Mercedes has packed it with advanced technology, making it both sophisticated and user-friendly. It performs admirably for its size and weight, offering a comfortable ride and competent handling.

While the EQE SUV may seem like a mere addition to Mercedes’ lineup without much innovation, it does highlight the potential benefits of larger electric vehicles. It may not be the most revolutionary electric SUV on the market, but it does showcase Mercedes’ commitment to expanding its electric vehicle offerings.

Technical Specifications

Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 300 Electric Art

Engine: Single Synchronous Motor, Rear-Wheel Drive
Power: 180kw (241bhp)
Torque: 550Nm
Gearbox: Single-Speed (A)
0-100km/h: 7.6 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 210km/h
Battery Capacity: 89 kWh
Drive Range: 565 km
Energy Consumption: 5.2 km/kWh (claimed)

Price: S$418,888 with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Mercedes-Benz Singapore

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV was launched in Singapore on Tuesday, 14 November 2023. Featuring a more compact 3030mm length than its EQS SUV sibling and a wheelbase that’s 90mm shorter, the EQE SUV is perfectly positioned to be daily driven on our urban streets.

“As we work towards being ready to go all-electric in Singapore by 2030, every new model launched in this lead-up represents great significance to us, our brand and our sustainability efforts – and the EQE SUV certainly does not disappoint. The EQE SUV is not only on the leading edge of Mercedes-Benz user and driver experience, but is also produced on a net carbon-neutral basis, while incorporating more resource-saving materials in its production,” said Claudius Steinhoff, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Singapore.

“While we continue to redefine desirability in this new phase of growth and progress towards electric mobility, the EQE SUV represents a strong vision of the direction we wish to head in – best-in-class driver and passenger engagement and connectivity, paired with a striking design and emotional appeal. We look forward to showcasing glimpses of Mercedes-Benz’ all-electric future to our local consumers through the EQE SUV, and hope they’ll join us in our ambition towards a greener tomorrow,” he added.

At launch, the EQE 300 Electric Art will be available, with the EQE 350+ AMG Line coming a little later. Some time in the future, there will also be full-on AMG variants.

The EQE 300 features 245hp and 550Nm of torque, and drive is sent to the rear wheels. 0-100km is dispatched in 7.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 210km/h.

Its 107kW battery pack is able to charge in 32 minutes at a 170kW DC fast charger, and at 18.9kWh/100km WLTP combined consumption offers up to 565km of range from a single charge. This means not having to visit the charger so often during one’s weekly commutes.

Not only that, but Mercedes-Benz is also offering a ten-year or 250,000km performance guarantee on the EQE SUV’s battery pack.

The EQE SUV also comes well-specified for the Singapore market. In conjunction with the standard Premium Package, the also-standard Driving Assistance Plus Package comprises:

• Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
• Active Lane Keeping Assist
• ATTENTION ASSIST
• Active Steering Assist including lane detection at low speeds with a 360° camera
• Active Emergency Stop Assist
• The Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function
• Evasive Steering Assist
• Active Blind Spot Assist
• PRE-SAFE® PLUS

Also, the EQE SUV comes with rear axle steering. This is highly beneficial around town and in tighter parking spaces where the rear wheels can turn in the opposite direction to the fronts by up to ten degrees, reducing turning circle from 12.3 metres to 10.5 metres.

The EQE SUV can also be optioned with AIRMATIC air suspension with adaptive ADS+ dampers. This allows the vehicle to maintain ground clearance regardless of load, but also make changes when needed such as reducing ride height when stopping to alight and pick up passengers, and raising it by up to 30mm when rougher terrain needs to be negotiated at speeds of up to 80km/h.

Also on offer is DIGITAL LIGHT which is a light module with three extremely powerful LEDs in each headlamp. Light refraction duties fall to 1.3 million micro-mirrors. This means 1.3 million pixels for Mercedes-Benz to play with and optimise light output.

By using a control unit with a powerful graphic processor that uses an HDMI-like connection to generate a continuous video stream to the mirrors, precise light distribution is possible and Highbeam Assist Plus is highly accurate when masking out oncoming traffic or traffic signs.

On the inside, one finds the latest Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) that’s supported by artificial intelligence (AI). The MBUX system can proactively display the right functions at the right time for the user by reacting to changes in the surroundings and user behaviour and permanently optimising itself.

This, coupled with the “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant, allows the user to operate various actions and functions, and some even without the “Hey Mercedes” activation keyword, and brings the EQE SUV properly into and beyond 2023 from a technological integration perspective.

Mercerdes-Benz has also fully integrated the major music streaming services like Spotify, TIDAL and Apple Music into the MBUX infotainment system courtesy of its Online Music service. Add to that Dolby Atmos integration, and one is in for an aural treat when listening to suitably-specified tracks.

The EQE SUV can also be optionally fitted with ENERGIZING AIR CONTROL Plus. The HEPA High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter has a very high filtration level to trap fine particles, microparticles, pollen and other substances entering from the outside air.

An activated carbon coating reduces sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, as well as odours in the interior. This would help ensure a cleaner, healthier and more comfortable journey for occupants.

Luggage space in the rear is a healthy 520 litres as standard. Incline the rear seatbacks by about 10 degrees, and this capacity goes up to 580 litres.

Drop the 40:20:40 split-folding seatbacks and a total of 1,675 litres of cargo capacity can be liberated.

We’ll have more on the EQE SUV when we get behind the wheel for a review drive. Watch this space.

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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