Mercedes-Benz EQE

Mercedes’ mini-me EQS makes sci-fi electric luxury that bit more accessible It may be renowned as the world’s original car maker, but Mercedes-Benz has always sought to innovate, and in a way in which other celebrated old car makers might be wary of. Its latest mission is the reinvention of the business saloon for the electric age – and its instrument is the focus of this week’s road test: the Mercedes EQE.This mid-sized electric luxury saloon comes on the coat-tails of the related Mercedes EQS, uses the same model platform, deploys the same super-sleek design language and goes by the same EQ sub-brand that the firm launched in 2016 for all of its zero-emission cars.While other car companies prefer to integrate their new EVs under the same banner as their combustion-engined offerings, Mercedes has instead created a parallel marque for electric cars about which its designers, engineers and product planners can think with greater freedom. We’ve watched as these EQ-branded cars have emerged over the past five years, some with a fairly close resemblance to their combustion-engined siblings.But, for better or worse, you couldn’t level that barb against the boldly futuristic EQS limousine – and you can’t against the EQE. We are now seeing exactly what the Mercedes EQ vision is all about: and this week, the Autocar road test takes another considered view.Range at a glanceThe regular EQE comes in four trim levels and the range-topping Mercedes EQE 53 has a further two equipment lines. Equipment is almost entirely defined by those trim levels, except that the Hyperscreen infotainment system can only be had as a £6995 option on the already-six-figure AMG 53.Drive battery and on-board charger spec are the same on all non-AMG versions, but only by stepping up to AMG Line Premium Plus or Exclusive Luxury do you get four-wheel steering, air suspension, Digital Light projector headlights or 360deg parking cameras.VersionPowerMercedes-Benz EQE 300241bhpMercedes-Benz EQE 350288bhpMercedes-Benz EQE 350+*288bhpMercedes-AMG 53 4Matic+617bhp*Version tested