The Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 is the first fully electric Benz in our Endurance test garage.
With this price in a different segment
The Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 is the first fully electric Benz in our endurance test garage. A logical step, because our last was the plug-in hybrid C-class. An expensive car, but not even the most expensive in our fleet.
With a price tag of €73,414, the Mercedes E-class sized electric sedan is less expensive than the Volkswagen ID Buzz that we drive as an endurance tester. The EQE class was launched in 2022 and, as we are used to from Mercedes-Benz, the number of variants is enormous. We had not yet met the 300 entry-level model. This 245 hp EV with a net battery pack of 89 kWh is especially interesting because of the range of 622 km that the manufacturer promises. Under €75,000 there are not many electric cars that can match its wide range. The EVs that can do that are a bit smaller. We are talking about the Tesla Model 3 Long Range, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 77.4 kWh and the Polestar 2 Single Motor. The Mercedes-Benz EQE falls between the Tesla Model 3 and Model S. There is even an electric SUV that according to its creator should be able to travel more than 600 kilometers on a battery charge and that is the Ford Mustang Mach-E 98 kWh RWD Premium. As a result, the Mercedes EQE 300 Business Line distinguishes itself by being the only electric car in the E-segment to get that far for that money. Incidentally, only this Business Line remains below €75,000; if you order the 300 with a different decoration, the amount will shoot up to €80,000 or higher.
Mercedes EQE was already 560 kilometers in practice
Nice, such a theoretical range of 622 kilometers, but what does practice mean? We reached 563 kilometers on the first fully charged battery and that is pretty neat because we drove that distance without hypermiling, or consciously extra economical driving. If we do, then those 622 kilometers may be possible. At the first battery empty driving session, we came to an average of 15.7 kWh/100 km, according to the on-board computer. The EQE owes this to its excellent streamline; the Cd value of 0.22 lets it cleave through the air without much resistance. That is not only good for consumption; the tranquility on board also thrives on it. That makes the EQE a companion with which we can comfortably eat kilometers for the next three months. The range is more impressive than its fast charging capabilities, because with 170 kW, this EQE is not one of the fastest chargers in the car world. Fortunately, during a first fast charging session on a summer day with a temperature of 28 degrees, we saw a peak of 168 kW, and the amount of energy that went into the battery pack remained above 160 kW for quite a long time.
The EQE 300 is powerful enough
After two weeks of steering in the 300, we can already conclude that you can get by with the basic power; 245 hp and 550 Nm are sufficient for the 2,285 kilo heavy Mercedes. It’s smooth enough and the direct response makes it feel even spicier. We previously drove the EQE as a 350 and as an AMG 43, but nevertheless this 300 does not disappoint. If you still find the EQE too lively in the ‘comfort’ driving position, you can put it in the ‘E’ position for maximum efficiency. Then it seems as if a trailer of more than 3.5 tons is hanging behind the car all the time, or a huge bunch of rubber bands. That is even a bit the case when you select the position ‘strong recuperation’ with the paddles on the steering wheel. If you drive in the city, that mode is fine and also when approaching a red traffic light pinball is a fun activity. For example, by first letting the car recuperate normally (also called regenerating) and then ‘additional braking’ by switching to the ‘strong’ position. Complete roll-out without significant delay is also possible.
Are we not missing anything at all? Anyway. For example, we find it remarkable that this expensive automobile has to do without adaptive cruise control as standard, while a blind spot warning at Mercedes-Benz apparently could not be done either. We know enough cheaper models that do have that as standard. The EQE does have seat heating, but with the summer temperatures of the last few weeks, we also find some ventilation for the buttocks desirable. To what extent the EQE is a scaled-down EQS, we will find out in the coming weeks; an economy trip is also on the agenda.