At the Paris Motor Show, Mercedes is showing its EQE SUV to the public for the first time. The Swabians brought the AMG version with up to 1000 Newton meters of torque - and ntv.de has already taken a seat in the luxurious SUV.
Of course it had to happen that way. Today's car customers are used to maximum variety and since SUVs are among the most popular bodies anyway, such a derivative was almost missing in the upper middle class category. Mercedes chose the pompous Rodin Museum in the seventh arrondissement on the eve of the Paris Motor Show to attract the public. The city center of Paris as a symbol for the apparently urgently needed conversion to locally emission-free mobility on the one hand and the almost insatiable hunger for SUVs on the other - it couldn't be more fitting.
And since, at least on this platform, no electric variant of a T-model (estate) is planned anyway and the Untertürkheim station wagons could even be retired in the medium term (they don't want to commit themselves at Daimler yet), the practical SUV should actually become more important than ever. Et voilà.
And who says that new cars are getting bigger? In any case, the brand new Mercedes SUV of the EQE series pleases with its relatively compact dimensions. It's not that it's small, but with a length of 4.86 meters the business class car is roughly on par with the W210, i.e. the E-Class from the 1990s. Thanks to clever packaging, the SUV is still as spacious as one would expect in this segment in 2022. It shines with benchmark legroom and a first touch actually confirms stately spatial conditions. The same applies to the luggage compartment, because after folding down the rear seat backrests, a volume of 1675 liters can be filled.
And since the editor is already sitting in the car anyway, his gaze wanders through the interior in search of processing mistakes. Instead, there are chic gimmicks such as extravagantly shaped headrests and sophisticated interior lights. Any bet that features such as shrill ambient light colors will awaken the playful instincts of Asian customers? But if they also make Europeans smile, then everything is okay. But why are the handles missing above the doors? They're actually quite comfortable.
Of course, some parameters specified by the factory cannot be checked here and now. How long will the EQE SUV keep its promised charging capacity of 170 kW? In any case, a sophisticated charging management system should bring the battery back to life and power as quickly as possible. The manufacturer puts it this way: Within a quarter of an hour, a range of 220 kilometers should be able to be recharged in the best case.
Of course, this should only work if the battery charges optimally. With a full battery (90.6 kWh), you should be able to travel 590 kilometers according to the average WLTP style, so the practical all-rounder would definitely be capable of long distances. This may work with the rear-wheel drive basic version, but the AMG top liner will have to be connected to the electricity beforehand.
And if there is enough power in the memory, it should go ahead with a bang. No electric motor in the latest Mercedes SUV produces less than 215 kW, i.e. 292 hp in classic currency. This output is distributed either to the rear axle (EQE 350) or to both axles (EQE 350 4Matic). The EQE 500 4Matic powers even 408 horsepower on both axles. Real performance lovers should be attracted to the AMG variants 43 4Matic (476 hp), 53 4Matic (626 hp) or 53 4Matic with AMG Dynamic Plus package (687 hp).
Incidentally, the top version reaches a top speed of 240 km/h, which is rather rare in the world of battery-powered vehicles. The top-of-the-range model's acceleration values are breathtaking, even on paper - with a "race start function" you can temporarily call up ten percentage points more power. Then the 2.6-ton truck should be able to reach 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Its torque is 1000 Newton meters.
All versions are optionally available with sophisticated chassis technology. This includes, for example, the air suspension in order to be able to vary as extensively as possible in terms of damper hardness. This also allows the chassis to be raised on light terrain. However, one special treat has already proven its worth in the brand's large limousines: the rear-axle steering. With a steering angle of ten degrees, the rear axle from Untertürkheim is one of those with the greatest steering angle of the rear wheels. Mercedes' promise to make the large series as easy to handle as a compact class is not an empty marketing phrase. In fact, the turning circle is reduced from 12.3 to 10.5 meters. There are also optional stabilizers with electric servomotors to compensate for body roll.
It's a bit of a shame that the time for aesthetically designed cockpits seems to be over. The monster screen with a display width of 1.41 meters, known as "hyperscreen" in Mercedes jargon, is also an architecturally impressive structure and also offers a certain practical value. But the classic automotive flair is simply missing.
Is there anything else? It is obvious that the EQE SUV has so many electronic assistants and functions that you cannot get through them in just a few hours. It's reassuring to know that the armada of safety-related functionality that is common at Mercedes today is on board. Of course, the EQE also accelerates and brakes in the high 1.69 meter version with assistance in numerous cases in order to avoid accidents.
Electronics also ensure acoustic well-being: You can enjoy flawless 4D music sound from 31 loudspeaker boxes in the EQE SUV if you want to spend money on this option. Incidentally, anyone who was previously afraid of having to give up their discretion with a workshop or hotel visit to valet parking in view of today's excessive data processing (navigation system and Co.) can rest easy. For example, depending on the activated mode, the last targets are blocked.
And the fear that the newly acquired luxury liner will soon only have to be found as a lump of scrap metal after the junior has exhausted himself - also passé. There is a position for novice drivers in which power and speed can be limited.
Mercedes is still silent about prices, but just under 80,000 euros should be calculated. With the top model, depending on the equipment, well over 100,000 euros are certainly not unrealistic. Incidentally, the first deliveries to customers will begin in the middle of next year. It's still a while away, but as we all know, anticipation is the greatest joy.
