Mercedes EQE SUV debuts – The EV quartet is complete

Mercedes-Benz presents the EQE SUV ahead of the Paris Motor Show, praising it as a “multi-purpose variant” of the EQE business sedan. The fourth model utilising the fully electric EVA II platform will also launch as a sporty AMG car right at the start. We have all the data and information.

++ This article has been updated. Kindly continue reading below. ++

Although Mercedes times the world premiere of the EQE SUV this Sunday evening in the French capital, the brand-new e-SUV won’t be on display at the Paris Motor Show, which begins on Monday. Mercedes, like all German manufacturers other than Next.e.GO Mobile, has not rented a stand at the showgrounds. Instead, the company is taking advantage of the fact that journalists from all over are gathered in Paris already,  and has scheduled its own event at the Musée Rodin.

About the electric vehicle: Following the familiar EQS limousines and the EQS SUV unveiled in April, the EQE SUV holds few surprises. The model shares the drive technology of the EVA II platform shared by all four models, and the new model fits seamlessly into the design language of the EQE and EQS series.

So what makes is new? At 4.86 meters, the EQE SUV is the shortest in the quartet. The wheelbase is even nine centimetres shorter than that of the EQE sedan at 3.03 meters. At the same time, the e-SUV is significantly taller at 1.69 meters, and “among the most spacious representatives of its class,” according to Mercedes. Because the new model retains the “essential innovations of the EQS” while being more dynamic than the larger EQS SUV, Mercedes claims the EQE SUV to be particularly versatile, without sacrificing high-tech or luxury.

In terms of powertrains, there are five versions at launch: The EQE 350+ is the only model with rear-wheel drive, where only a permanently excited synchronous machine is installed on the rear axle. As in the sedan, this produces 215 kW and offers 565 Nm of torque. All other variants are all-wheel drives with two electric motors, called EQE 350 4MATIC (also with 215 kW) and EQE 500 4MATIC with the 300 kW output familiar from the sedan. By the way: As soon as it comes to the engine versions, Mercedes does without the SUV abbreviation in the naming.

The model designation EQE 350+ has already revealed that the rear-wheel drive has the highest range, recognizable by the “+”. All variants of the EQE SUV share the familiar battery with 90.56 kWh net energy content. In the 350, this ensures a range of up to 590 kilometres, according to WLTP, while up to 547 kilometres are still possible in the 500. However, this only applies to the most economical trim. If you order larger rims or other features that increase energy consumption, weight or air resistance, even the WLTP range drops to 459 kilometres.

Above these three engines, there are two sporty offshoots. The Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV is offered as a 43 and 53. The EQE 43 4MATIC with its two electric motors has an output of up to 350 kW, while the EQE 53 4MATIC+ (here the “+” stands for the fully variable all-wheel drive) has up to 505 kW if the optional ‘AMG Dynamic Plus Package with Boost Function’ is ordered. Both models not only feature AMG-specific electric motors, but also an AMG air suspension with special roll stabilization and rear-axle steering, which is only optional in the variants of the EQE SUV sold under the Mercedes-Benz brand.

As the test drive with the EQE sedan has already shown, this rear-axle steering is definitely recommendable: The turning circle drops to 10.5 meters at the full ten degrees and thus to compact car level. Without rear-axle steering, it’s almost two meters more.

Let’s take another brief look at the battery: It operates with a system voltage of 400 volts and is made up of ten modules (up to twelve modules are possible in the EQS). The cells use NCM811 chemistry, and Mercedes-Benz gives a ten-year or 250,000-kilometer warranty on the battery. Charging in Europe is standard at 11 kW AC, with 22 kW also available as an option – in the US, the AC charging capacity is designed for 9.6 kW due to the power grid. Up to 170 kW is possible with CCS fast charging – Mercedes promises here that the high charging currents can be maintained for a long time thanks to the temperature and charging management. For thermal management, the EQE SUV also has a heat pump ex-works. If the navigation with Electric Intelligence is activated, the battery is preheated or cooled as needed while driving. 

As in the other models, Mercedes offers three charging programs – Standard, Home and Work. In these, parameters such as departure time, air conditioning and maximum charge level can be preset. The Home & Work charging programs can be activated based on location. This means they are switched on automatically as soon as the vehicle is parked at a charging point at the positions stored in the system. 

While the SUV adopts many familiar functions and features, such as the Hyperscreen, which is only optional in the EQE, the comfort functions such as the massage seats, and the numerous driver assistance systems, the chassis has been given another helping hand and its own set-up has been defined for the model. Incidentally, Mercedes refers to the 3.03 meters as a “comparatively short wheelbase” in the press release – that was still S-Class level a few years ago. But since the wheelbase is indeed shorter than in the other EQE and EQS models, even the basic setup is supposed to be “particularly agile and little.”

From the factory, the EQS SUV is on steel springs; an air suspension with continuous adjustable damping is available as an option. With the air suspension, the vehicle can also be raised 30 millimetres if necessary to increase ground clearance. In the “Comfort” and “Sport” driving modes, on the other hand, the suspension is automatically lowered by ten and 20 millimetres respectively above 120 km/h to reduce drag and increase driving stability.

But what about the versatility that Mercedes advertises? The space in the first and second row of seats should be about the same as in the sedan – of course, you sit a bit higher. Especially in the rear, headroom is greater because the roofline doesn’t drop, but it’s a bit tighter at the knees (due to the nine-centimetre shorter wheelbase). When the backrests of the rear seats are in the comfort position, 520 litres fit into the trunk according to VDA standards (i.e. up to the lower edge of the window). With the more upright cargo position, it’s up to 580 litres. If the rear seat backrests are folded down completely, the cargo compartment can hold up to 1,675 litres. There is no optional third row of seats – this is only available in the larger EQS SUV. Mercedes has also dispensed with a frunk under the front hood in this platform, where the large HEPA filter of the air conditioning system is located.

Another difference to the EQS SUV is the towing capacity: Since the larger model is only available with all-wheel drive, all versions offer a towing capacity of 1.8 tons. In the EQE SUV, the 350+ with rear-wheel drive falls through the cracks – it only offers 750 kilograms, but the all-wheel drive models also offer 1.8 tons.

Mercedes-Benz is not yet naming prices for the new model at the premiere. Production of the series vehicles is scheduled to start in December, with the EQE SUV being built alongside the EQS SUV at the US plant in Tuscaloosa for the global markets. Production of the larger model started at the end of August.

Update 16 February 2023

The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is now on sale in the UK with prices starting at £90,560 for the EQE 350 4MATIC AMG Line. Prices for the 500 4MATIC start from £108,760, which is only available from the Premium model line upwards. Interestingly enough, the range for the lower-priced 350 4MATIC has a longer WLTP range of 334 miles compared to the 500 4MATIC’s 324 miles.

The 4MATIC’s price range tops out at £121,760 for the ‘Business Class’ variant.

>> Info via email, mercedes-benz-media.co.uk (update)