The Mercedes EQE range introduction, including the range-topping EQE 53 reviewed here, took place on two routes I know well. Victoria drivers know these routes well. The difficulty is that a little community connects the two 10km routes, whose citizens and police force know that people like myself adore these roads. “I could hear you coming for miles,”
I was told at a coffee break in the hamlet after driving an AMG GT R Pro on these roads. I doubt I broke the law on this tree-lined lane, but the AMG sounded guilty.
That’s the EQE 53’s quiet advantage. Despite the slippery late-autumn roads covered in leaf litter, I doubt I’ve drove any slower today than I did years ago in the GT R Pro, but the EQE 53’s quiet powertrain has kept the peace. The EQE’s unassuming appearance hasn’t raised an eyebrow.
All New Mercedes-AMG EQE53
Mercedes-Benz plans to sell eight EVs by year’s end, including the three-model EQE in Australia. We’re simply referring to the sedan because the EQE’s EV expansion will include an SUV.
The flagship EQS’s specialized EV platform underpins the EQE. Compared to the EQS, the EQE is much smaller. The EQE is an electric E-class sedan, whereas the EQS is an EV S-class. The 4964mm EQE is 270mm shorter than the 5.2-metre EQS, but its 3120mm wheelbase is 90mm shorter. It is 15mm lower than the EQS but 35mm narrower at 1961mm. The EQE is 181mm longer, 101mm wider, and 57mm higher than the present E-class, suggesting it will grow significantly.
The EQE 300 costs $134,900, the 350 $154,900, and the Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 4matic+ we’re trying $214,900. All prices exclude on-road charges. The EQE 300’s back axle six-phase permanently excited synchronous motor is powered by an in-house 89kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The 180kW/550Nm motor accelerates the EQE 300 to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds. The EQE 300’s 508km range comes from its 0.22Cd, second only to the EQS’s 0.20.
The newest MBUX multimedia package, MBUX Navigation Premium, Burmester surround sound, heated and electrically adjustable front seats, panoramic sliding sunroof, AMG Line external body style, and 20-inch AMG wheels are highlights. The EQE 300 has 10 airbags, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, autonomous auto braking with junction support, rear cross-traffic alert, automated parking, and a 360-degree camera for safety.
The $20,000 EQE 350 4matic adds a front-axle electric motor and all-wheel-drive. With 215kW and 765Nm of power and all-wheel-drive traction, the stated 0-100km/h time drops to 6.3 seconds. The EQE 350’s WLTP range is 462km, which is still good for an electric car. The 350 just has a boot spoiler.
The current-generation E63 S super sedan costs $272,000, although the $214,900 EQE 53 AMG performs similarly. The AMG 53 employs a 90.6kWh battery pack like the EQE 350 and produces 460kW and 950Nm from its dual-motor 53. AMG promotes the EQE 53 4Matic+ as a dynamic executive sedan, and its torque split is 36:64.
AMG Dynamic Plus doubles peak outputs to 505kW and 1000Nm for $7400.
WLTP testing estimates a real-world range of 435km, peak speed is 220km/h, and 0-100km/h takes 3.5 seconds. The $7400 AMG Dynamic Plus option boosts peak outputs to 505kW and 1000Nm. Race Start launch control reduces 0-100km/h to 3.3 seconds and peak speed to 240km/h. The AMG Track Pace software and enhanced driving noises cost $7400. The base 460kW/950Nm EQE 53 4Matic+ we tested had enough of power.
The 53 has rear-steering, Airmatic suspension, an AMG Performance steering wheel, heated and cooled Nappa Leather front seats, red brake calipers, Guard 360 Vehicle Protection Plus, and more power and torque. Air suspension costs $3800 on other EQE models, and carbon-ceramic front brakes cost $9100 on the 53.
The EQE, like the EQS, glides through Melbourne’s outer suburbs to the intriguing roads indicated at the outset, feeling imperious, opulent, and dynamically tense due to its sporty ride quality. It never crashes or numbs. I like it because it shows the EQE 53 can do more than commute.
Many EVs let you modify brake regeneration, but I never liked the brake sensation in regular, soft driving. When regen turns into friction braking, the pedal disconnects somewhat. After two days of driving, I grew better at controlling the fuzzy line, but Porsche with its Taycan does it better.
Like other EVs, the AMG EV can’t match the Porsche’s dynamic capabilities. The EQE 53 handles tight, rainy, and slick roads well. The 53 resists understeer despite its 2525kg weight, which surprised me because I expected 2000-2100kg. The rear-steer may make the steering seem quicker. The AMG sits flat in corners but shows how hard each corner is working.
Harder cornering, especially using the motors’ quick thud, activates the rear-drive balance. I didn’t slide the EQE like an E46 M3, but you can feel the torque distribution and utilize it to tighten your line mid-corner or wriggle on departure.
However, the EQE doesn’t feel like an AMG thunder sedan, which it’s not. It’s not only the loss of AMG’s signature audio pyrotechnics. Any EV will struggle with this character trait. However, the car business is good at giving what everyone wants, so it seems inevitable.