2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE

Hot on the heels of the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS, the German automaker expands its EV lineup in the United States with the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE. Positioned as an electric companion to the E-Class, it offers customers a battery-powered alternative to the mid-size luxury sedan in the same manner as the larger EQS BEV offers an alternative to the traditional S-Class. 

The EQE line launches with the 288-horsepower, rear-wheel drive EQE 350 followed by the more powerful all-wheel-drive EQE 500 4Matic. Both vehicles will be available with most of the suite of technologies introduced in the 2022 EQS, including the optional Hyperscreen and augmented reality turn-by-turn directions in the head-up display (HUD). A high-performance Mercedes-AMG EQE variant with more than double the rated motor output has been recently announced.

The Luxury EV sedan market is still in the early stages, and manufacturers are still defining themselves and establishing their strengths and weakness. Though official pricing hasn’t been released we expect the EQE to start around $70,000, putting it in league with the Audi e-tron GT, BMW i4—more directly, the forthcoming i5 sedan—and the Lucid Air. The influence of the Tesla Model S can’t be ignored, but as its base MSRP edges toward the $95k mark it leaves plenty of room for competitors to fill in the blank space below.

The EQE 500 edges closer to a sports sedan than the EQE 350, but neither EQE variant is particularly quick relative to the other EVs in the space or genuinely conveys the spirit of a German performance vehicle. Instead, both are more at home delivering an incredibly glassy ride rather than hardcore dynamics. That said, on the autobahn, we quickly reached speeds illegal in the U.S. At 100 mph and higher, both displayed the traditional Mercedes’ “silent and solid” mannerisms. At more sane speeds in town, the suspension swallowed up ruts and bumps with little turbulence transferred to the passengers and when needed could leap from a stoplight to the head of the pack without any issues.

The available rear-wheel steering enhances the driving experience making a mid-sized sedan feel far smaller than its actual length. It made short work of narrow streets in German villages and was easy to whip into tight parking spaces without issue.

Stylistically, the EQE 350 continues the swooping, low-drag design aesthetic introduced with the EQS. With a focus on efficiency, some have derided the EQS as looking less like a Mercedes and more like a mid-market sedan. However, on the EQE, the shorter wheelbase works far better with Mercedes’ one-bow, cab-forward design permeating the EQ lineup. Thanks to its packaging, the EQE actually has slightly more interior room than its traditional E-class sibling.

In true Mercedes fashion, the overarching goal of the EQE is to translate its decades of experience into an electric package. The result is a tranquil experience coupled with silky ride quality, which should appease both new and returning customers.

Performance: 11/15

The EQE 350 puts its 288 horsepower and 391-pound feet of torque to good use, creating a serene driving experience instead of trying to impress with neck-snapping launches. The single rear motor can deliver the quickness and speed necessary for slightly spirited driving and tackling freeway onramps. Yet, with a zero to 60 time of 5.6 seconds, EQE 350 is far from an EV rocket. 

For those looking for a livelier experience, the dual-motor EQE 500 4Matic—which will launch later in the year—is the sedan to get. With two motors, it’s capable of outputting 408 horsepower. But more importantly, while the 350 errors on the side of tranquility when the accelerator is depressed, the 500 4Matic puts EV torque immediately to work while rushing to the speed limit. 

The 122.9-inch EQE might be 3.5 inches shorter than its larger sibling, the EQS, yet it still benefits from optional rear-wheel steering. Available with either 4.5 or 10-degrees of rear steering, the EQE feels like a much smaller vehicle while tackling parking lots and tight city streets. In addition, the wheels turn in parallel at highway speed for added stability while changing lanes. 

Range, Energy Use & Charging: 13/15

Mercedes announced up to 305-mile range for its rear-wheel versions. on the 90.6 kWh capacity battery pack while testing the EQE 350 during strenuous mountain driving, the vehicle clocked a range of 263 miles, per our calculations. 

On the charging front, the EQE supports DC fast-charging up to 170 kW an hour. A solid rate, but a slight disappointment when offerings from Hyundai, Audi, and Porsche have handily broken the 200 kWh charge rate mark. Mercedes claims the battery can be charged from 10 to 100 percent in 9.5 hours using a 240-volt Level 2 charger; a DC fast-charger is said to charge the battery from 10 to 80 percent in 31 minutes. For refilling the battery at home, the onboard charger supports charge rates up to 11 kW an hour.

The vehicle does have Plug and Charge capabilities. Once a compatible charging network account is added to the vehicle, all the driver must do to start the electricity flowing is plug the vehicle in. There’s no need to open an app or use a credit card. It’s taken care of automatically. 

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 13/15

The Mercedes-Benz EQE has not undergone crash evaluations by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA). Therefore, at this time, we are unable to share how it will perform in a collision. 

What we do know is that Mercedes offers a rather impressive set of standard safety features that include active braking assistance, a high-voltage shutoff system, active lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot assistance and Mercedes Pre-Safe, which primes the vehicle to protect the passenger when it detects that a collision is about to happen. 

Optional safety systems include Pre-Safe Plus with side impact that moves the occupants away from the source of an impending impact and adaptive cruise control.

Comfort & Room: 13/15

The front of the cabin is roomy, with plenty of head and legroom for passengers. The rear seats feel more claustrophobic, especially for larger adults. Once they stoop to clear the lowering roofline, those 6-foot-tall or more will find headroom in the back thanks mainly to the area created by the standard panoramic sunroof; tilting their head towards their respective door results in their head coming into contact with the edges of the headliner. 

Interior materials are on-par with Mercedes luxury. Leather seats are comfortable, and the cabin’s materials evoke the opulence found in the E-Class. 

Even with the heft of a large battery pack under the passenger area, the EQE delivers a glassy ride thanks to the vehicle’s standard four-link front suspension and multilink rear suspension. An even more compliant ride can be obtained by selecting the optional air suspension coupled with adaptive dampening. 

Infotainment: 14/15

The EQE ships standard with a 12.8 OLED portrait infotainment touchscreen running the latest version of MBUX, which includes a surprisingly helpful voice assistant. Gone is the Mercedes touchpad in the center console. Some may miss it, but the large display is easy to reach while driving. 

The recently introduced Zero Layer infotainment feature is available on the EQE. It surfaces the most used features and apps on the screen over the navigation screen. It does reduce the need to delve into menus to use commonly activated features. 

The vehicle can store up to seven profiles, and those can be unlocked either with a fingerprint via the fingerprint sensor, the driver’s voice, or facial recognition. 

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support are also standard. 

For those looking for maximum screen real estate, the optional 56-inch Hyperscreen houses the 12.3-inch dash cluster, 17.7-inch center infotainment screen and 12.3-inch passenger screen under a single lens. With it, passengers can watch and listen to their own media. 

This optional Hyperscreen also includes the in-vehicle cameras above the instrument cluster. The sensor is required for proper eye-tracking for the optional head-up display augmented reality turn-by-turn directions and to measure driver alertness. 

Cargo Space & Storage: 11/15

Like the EQS, the EQE does not offer up a frunk. However, it differs from the EQS because it has a traditional trunk lid instead of a large hatch. As a result, you lose some of the ease of placing large items in the back afforded by a large hatch. 

The trunk offers 15.1 cubic-feet of cargo space, which is more than the 10 cubic-feet in the E-Class and approximately 12.5 cubic-feet in the C-Class. It’s also larger than the 10 cubic-feet of cargo space in the BMW i4. 

Style & Design: 6/10

The EQE follows the same one-bow, cab-forward design found on the EQS, but its shorter form seems a more fitting aesthetic. Still, the bulbous, slick design of the EQE does conjure up comparisons to less expensive sedans. 

It’s a like-it-or-leave-it design that doesn’t sufficiently convey the heritage of Mercedes luxury. The rear end, highlighted by the twisted ribbon brake lights it shares with EQS, is its best angle. The panoramic sunroof is standard. 

The EQE ships with 19-inch wheels, although the vehicles we drove were sitting on optional 20-inch wheels. There are also 21-inch wheels available. 

Is the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE Worth it? Which EQE is the best value?

Mercedes announced pricing for the 2023 EQE starting at $75,950, including destination fees. The EQE priced against the E-Class starts higher, and for all-wheel drive it bumps up to $78,950 and $86,895 for the 500. The AMG performance version is a shockingly $107895. Still, considering the technology, potential range and luxury available on the base EQE, it’s a smartly priced luxury EV. 

Unless you absolutely need the all-wheel drive afforded by the 500 4Matic, the EQS 350, with its longer range and lower price tag, is the way to go. The Hyperscreen is impressive, but the benefits of a passenger screen and augmented reality HUD turn-by-turn directions don’t justify the price tag. 

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Mercedes-Benz EQE?

Though official insurance estimates for the EQE are not yet available, our data indicate a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $2,561 to $2,858 for a traditional Mercedes-Benz E-Class, $2,638 for an Audi e-tron and $3,855 for a Tesla Model S. Based on these figures, the EQE should land in the vicinity of a $2,600 to $3,100. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.