Photography: Vaibhav Dhanawade, Mercedes-Benz India
It’s three years now since Mercedes-Benz pioneered the luxury EV space in India, with the EQC. And last year, the German luxury car maker launched not one but two luxury EVs in the country, the EQS sedan and the EQB SUV. Actually three, if you count the AMG EQS 53 as a separate model. Mercedes has been clear about its product offensive in the EV space and has been making steady progress on the front – not just in India but globally as well. In keeping with its vision of going carbon neutral by 2039, the German luxury car maker has been expanding its EQ line-up of luxury EVs at a feverish pace and has just launched its EQE SUV in India, its fourth EV for the market. To find out what it is like to drive, we spent half a day driving the EQE around picturesque Gulmarg in Kashmir.
There is a lot to talk about the design, because the EQE looks very distinctive. I mean, the grille does remind of the EQS, but the headlamps look different and very unique, and overall, I really like this front end for its futuristic feel. The headlamps are more rectangular as compared to those we’ve seen on the EQS sedan, which makes the EQE one look more appealing. The star-studded panel housing the three-pointed star in place of the conventional grille adds the futuristic feel to the face in heaps, while the bumper design is clean, without too many curves or creases. The hood also gets the power bulges we’ve seen on other Mercedes cars, adding a sense of familiarity and adding muscle to the front end.
The EQE is rather flat from the sides like other EQ models but gets an interesting detail in the form of illuminated running boards. It gets the same wiper fluid filler cap on the left side that pops out as the EQS, as also the same flush-fitting door handles that you swipe to pull out. The EQE runs on 20-inch alloy wheels that have a very distinctive and futuristic looking design. I also like how curvy the SUV is from the sides in a bid to ensure it boasts the best possible drag coefficient to make it more aerodynamic, in a bid to aid efficiency. The EQE’s rear end is my favourite though, particularly thanks to the tail lamp design. The tail lamps use the same distinctive design we’ve seen on the EQS and these aren’t just the most unique-looking tail lamps, they’re also the best looking tail lamps in the business in my opinion. What’s more, the tail lamps are connected by an LED strip that adds to the EQE’s looks and also makes it instantly identifiable.
The EQE continues to offer the gaming console-like feel inside, just like what we have seen in the EQS. This is courtesy the same, 56-inch hyperscreen housing three different displays. The mahoosive infotainment screen is a delight with its size, ultra-sharp resolution and bright colours. Same is the case with the instrument cluster display and display in front of the front passenger – both look very crisp and bright. The instrument cluster arranges information neatly making it easier to consume it all while driving, and also shows maps in a wide screen format. Another highlight inside is the white theme and the open pore magnolia wood with aluminium inlays, that accentuate the classy feel of the cabin. That said, I am concerned about the white seats starting to look brown and the open pore wood accumulating dust, given the typical Indian conditions and usage.
The steering wheel is a familiar looking unit too and looks nice with its white rim and brushed metal finish though it does feel a little too large in size. An LED strip runs right through the top of the dashboard across its width and of course, you can choose from a range of colours for the ambient lighting too. The EQE also features what Mercedes calls active ambient lighting – open the door and the lighting inside the door panels will turn red and flash, as a safety measure, to let you know the door is open. The door panels have the same design as other new generation Mercedes cars, including the S-Class, adding to the sense of familiarity. The cabin is very spacious and the white hue inside only adds to the sense of airiness, which should help the EQE appeal to chauffeur-driven buyers as well, especially given the excellent kneeroom and legroom at the rear. Overall, the cabin marries the luxurious appeal of traditional Mercedes-Benz cars to the futuristic feel of the EQ models really well.
When it comes to features, EVs have given manufacturers an opportunity to offer some of the most cutting-edge tech and just like the EQS, the EQE is loaded to the gills. More so, since Mercedes has chosen to only offer the top-of-the-line EQE 500 version in India. So, besides the three high resolution screens you get massaging and ventilated front seats, a 15-speaker surround sound system from Burmester and HEPA air filter which Mercedes claims can eliminate 99.65 percent of airborne pollutants. There’s an Attention Assist function as well, for alerting drivers who drive with just one hand on the steering wheel or take both hands off. Sensors on the wheel and cameras embedded into the instrument cluster display constantly monitor the driver and also detect if the driver does not have both hands on the wheel and alert you and also start bringing the car to a halt within seconds. Besides Level 2 ADAS, the EQE is also equipped with 9 airbags on the safety front, which is again very reassuring to say the least.
A 90.56kWh battery pack along with two electric motors, one at each axle perform duty as the ‘powertrain’. Combined outputs are 408PS and 858Nm, sent to all four wheels via the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system. Claimed range per charge as per the WLTP cycle is 550km and the EQE supports up to 170kW of fast charging, resulting in ultra-quick charging times, though the EQE will be offered with a 11kW AC home charger to buyers. Claimed 0-100kmph time is a scant 4.9 seconds, very impressive for an SUV weighing over 2 tonnes. Torque delivery is instant and you also have the usual set of driving modes to help you tailor your driving experience.
The EQE is thus capable of offering neck-snapping acceleration in Sport mode and can be quick to turn into a large projectile. Paddles behind the steering let you choose regen levels and overall, this is quite a potent package as far as performance is concerned. Effectively, the EQE is one of the quickest accelerating EVs on sale in the country today. This is even more impressive when you consider the fact that this is not the AMG version of the EQE sold abroad but is of course the top spec EQE 500. The narrow mountain roads were barely any match for the SUV’s strong performance though I can imagine the EQE 500 allowing one to cover distances at a feverish pace and thus making for an excellent set of wheels for driving long distances.
The EQE 500 is suspended on adaptive air suspension, which means the ride quality is as good as it gets and in line with what you would expect of an SUV with the three-pointed star on its hood. What’s more, you can also raise the ride height by 25mm for times when you need to tread off tarmac and need that extra ground clearance. The suspension soaked up broken roads impressively around Gulmarg, though some of the larger potholes and ruts did make themselves felt at slower speeds. Overall ride quality is very good though, especially as you go faster, which should further add to the EQE’s feel as an able mile muncher. Handling is impressive too given the sure-footed feel, but the EQE does make its weight felt around corners. The steering offers good feel and feedback but given its size and heft, the EQE is happier being driven in a laid back manner in the mountain twisties. Another impressive fact is that Mercedes is offering the Off-Road package as standard in India and while this is no 4×4, the EQE will offer a lot of confidence, should you decide to get adventurous.
In a nutshell, the EQE is thus an interesting addition to Mercedes-Benz’s EV portfolio in India and an SUV that will take on the likes of the BMW iX, Jaguar i-Pace and also the Audi Q8 e-tron. The EQE 500 4MATIC is priced at Rs 1.39 crore ex-showroom which might sound expensive to many, but Mercedes is known to only launch fully-loaded versions of its top end models in India and the EQE 500 here is the top-of-the-line version of the SUV. You also get an industry-first, 10-year or 2.5 lakh kilometre warranty on the EQE’s battery pack, which is pretty phenomenal. This should help in convincing a lot of buyers looking for a plush, comfortable and feature-rich luxury EV that will also help them make a statement.
