Winter testing Mercedes EQE 500 4matic
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Winter testing Mercedes EQE
© press-inform – the press office
Mercedes put the finishing touches on the EQE in Arjeplog, northern Sweden. The prototypes not only have to withstand severe sub-zero temperatures, they also have to remain manageable on mirror-smooth ice surfaces. The EQE 500 4Matic masters both disciplines.
When it comes to automobiles, the truth is on the ice. The low coefficient of friction combined with the arctic temperatures can put an end to electric vehicles in particular. That’s why the engineers gather every year in northern Sweden, where temperatures can still drop to minus 17 degrees in March and test tracks on frozen lakes mercilessly reveal any weaknesses in tuning. This time, the Mercedes EQE has to go through this drastic cure, because the electric E-Class cannot afford to make any mistakes when it comes to wooing the electro-affine clientele. We are sitting in the Mercedes EQE 500 4Matic with 300 kW / 408 hp. “We deliberately tuned the EQE to be sportier than the EQS,” explains Christoph Starzynski, Head of Electric Drives. On the icy handling course in Arjeplog, northern Sweden, you can quickly get a feel for such statements.
Especially if you deactivate the safety anchor ESP. And the 4.95 meter long little brother of the EQS does quite well. Because the electric E-Class gives a friendly announcement as soon as the rear is thinking about overtaking the front end. The EQE likes to come sideways on the polished ice, but can be caught again with a few calm steering movements. Lateral dynamics fans are happy about relaxed drifts, which are controlled with the accelerator pedal at a constant steering angle. “This predictability of driving behavior is very important to us,” confirms Christoph Starzynski.
The rear-axle steering, which turns the wheels at a maximum angle of 4.5 degrees, helps with the dynamics and the neutral handling, which also manifests itself when changing lanes quickly on the slippery surface. Now we switch to comfort mode and the electronics immediately tighten the reins on the dynamic rear end. The control interventions are smooth and keep the limousine, which weighs more than two tons, confidently on track, even with the mirror-smooth surface. The engineer next to me nods in satisfaction. That’s how he imagined it. But there was still time to change something on the prototypes. The sport driving program lives up to its name and allows larger drift angles. At the exit of the curve, you straighten the car and with a spirited use of the right pedal, the all-wheel drive pulls the heavy Stromer onto the next straight. If the control systems work so reliably on ice, there will be few problems on asphalt. However, the EQE 500 4Matic is already over at 210 km/h. If you want to be 30 km/h faster on the road, you have to resort to the AMG variants.
Even if the Mercedes managers classify the EQE as an electric business sedan, the solid foundations of an E-Class are not being shaken – it doesn’t matter whether it is purely electrically powered or not. After all, the Swabian engineers have a reputation to lose. This means that comfort continues to play a major role. With a wheelbase of 3.12 meters, there is enough space on the back seat to be representative in China. But even a European with a high standard will find more than enough space in the back seat to make himself royally comfortable.
In addition to the airy interior, which is of course also a result of the EVA II platform, the comfort of the suspension plays a major role. The air suspension reliably conceals the impressive weight of the EQE even in the very cold conditions. However, the Mercedes technicians assure that the steel chassis also leaves nothing to be desired when it comes to driving comfort, although it can be safely assumed that most customers will opt for the more complex suspension. In the interior, too, you can choose between the hyperscreen known from the EQS and a more traditional variant with a vertical iPad as the infotainment center plus the virtual instruments in front of the driver.
In the summer, the Mercedes EQE is at the dealer. It starts with the EQE 350+ with 215 kW / 292 hp, which costs 68,847.45 euros. In combination with the 90-kilowatt-hour battery, this rear-wheel-drive version can travel up to 660 kilometers (WLTP) before it has to go back to the charging station. Later, both axles are driven, just like the EQE 500 4Matic, while the EQE 300 is only available with rear-wheel drive. The two AMG versions EQE 43 (350 kW / 476 hp) and 53 (up to 505 kW / 687 hp) complete the range. But it is quite possible that Mercedes will soon add another power shovel to teach Tesla & Co. to fear. In terms of driving dynamics, the electric E-Class is already way ahead of the pack.