[TEST DRIVE] Mercedes Benz's electric EQE 350+ shoots for the stars

Industry

Published: 22 Oct. 2022, 07:00

[TEST DRIVE] Mercedes Benz's electric EQE 350+ shoots for the stars

Mercedes Benz's EQE 350+ sedan [MERCEDES BENZ KOREA]

WONJU, Gangwon — Mercedes Benz’s E-class is unquestionably the No. 1 imported car in the Korean market. The luxury vehicle isn’t likely to surrender its crown anytime soon, with an electric version has been introduced in the Korean market.

The EQE 350+ is Benz’s second electric vehicle (EV) developed based on its EVA2 modular platform after the EQS which was released in Korea in 2021.

While the previous E-class gives a luxurious and elegant vibe, the electric EQE is notable for its youthful and vibrant atmosphere.

The Korea JoongAng Daily recently got behind the wheel of the EQE on a 100-kilometer (62-mile) journey from Seongsu-dong in eastern Seoul to a cafe in Wonju, Gangwon.

The EQE comes with a panel grille with three-dimensional star patterns, which gives the vehicle a softer look than other Mercedes cars. The car has a sharper front but round rear, which makes the sedan look more like a crossover.

One notable feature of the EQE is that drivers are not able to open the bonnet. EVs usually use that space as a front trunk as they don’t need to place engines there.

But Mercedes said it placed an air purifier system inside instead to keep the air in the car free from fine dust and pollen.

Thanks to the vehicle’s 3,120-millimeter (123-inch) wheelbase, or the distance between the front and back wheels, the interior is spacious. In comparison, its rival Hyundai's Ioniq 6 has a 2,950-millimeter wheelbase.

The dashboard also features a star pattern, and this is the moment this reporter realized that Mercedes is trying to target the younger generation with the EQE sedan. Whether the star-pattern dashboard could lure older fans who love Benz’s simple and dignified design remains to be seen.

The interior of the EQE [MERCEDES BENZ KOREA]

The driving was smooth but strong despite the absence of air suspension. Handling was easy, while the quietness was fully guaranteed.

Equipped with an 88.9-kilowatt-hour battery, the sedan can run 471 kilometers per hour, according to the Environment Ministry. It generates a maximum of 288 horsepower and 57.6 kilogram-meters of torque.

It takes 6.4 seconds for the car to reach 100 kilometers per hour from zero. It seems like Benz focused on stable and comfortable driving over speed and dynamic driving this time.

A regenerative braking system is also available, which converts the car's kinetic energy to electricity when it slows down. The test course was exactly 108 kilometers, but the mileage had only been reduced by 91 kilometers. This means the vehicle itself charged about 17 kilometers while driving.

Four modes of the regenerative braking system were available, and the system worked very softly in any mode. The braking system in other cars often causes motion sickness.

The EQE also offered a massage function in the driver and passenger seats in six different modes. The strength, however, was too weak to be relaxed so customers should not have too high expectations for the massage service.

An Active Distance Assist Distronic system worked well, which automatically controls the speed of a vehicle while keeping a safe distance from the car in the front. When this reporter set the speed to 110 kilometers per hour on the highway, the sedan never exceeded the limit, but it did automatically slow down to keep a safe distance when there was another car in front.

The EV also comes with a Zero Layer system, which the company said automatically learns drivers' habits.

“Let’s say the driver has a typical habit, such as calling his wife at around 6 p.m. every day,” said a spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz Korea. “Then the car studies the pattern and automatically pops up a calling sign on the touchscreen display around that time.”

Whether or not that's true was hard to verify during this test drive as the course only took some three hours.

It only takes 32 minutes to charge the car from 10 percent to 80 percent. The trunk capacity stands at 430 liters (114 gallons).

People, however, do need to have some cash to get the luxury sedan.

The sticker price begins at 101.6 million won ($70,700), with no government subsidies available.