2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE: A Less Expensive Alternative To The EQS

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE is a younger, smaller and less expensive cousin of the Mercedes-Benz EQS, based on the same EVA platform.

There are four versions of the car available in the United States, starting with the entry-level, rear-wheel drive EQE 350+, two all-wheel drive versions (EQE 350 4Matic and EQE 500 4Matic) and a performance-oriented AMG EQE.

There are a few other versions in Europe, but today we will take a closer look only at the US-spec cars, including prices and basic specs.

Mercedes-Benz EQE

Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE

The Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ starts at an MSRP of $74,900 (plus a $1,150 destination charge), which is over $30,000 less than in the case of the entry-level Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ ($104,400).

The dual-motor, all-wheel drive version EQE 350 4Matic is $3,000 more expensive ($77,900), while the even more powerful EQE 500 4Matic starts at $85,900. The AMG EQE version is significantly more expensive than the rest of the lineup, as it starts at $106,900.

Due to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), none of the Mercedes-Benz EQE qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit, because the cars are imported (they would exceed the $55,000 price cap anyway, even if locally produced).

Prices

During the first quarter of 2023, Mercedes-Benz sold over 1,300 EQE in the US, compared to over 2,000 EQS. It will be interesting to see whether the EQE will beat the EQS at some point in the future.

Basic specs

All of the Mercedes-Benz EQE available in the US are equipped with the same 90.6-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery.

The base, rear-wheel drive has an estimated range of 305 miles (491 km) and accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour (mph) in 6.2 seconds.

The higher-power, all-wheel drive versions are quicker, but their range is noticeably shorter – 260 miles in the case of the regular AWD versions (45 miles or 15 percent less) and just 225 miles in the case of the AMG version.

However, the AMG EQE is very quick, with a 0-60 mph time of just 3.2 seconds – that’s actually better than 3.4 seconds in the case of the AMG EQS, which is roughly $40,000 more expensive.

* expected values

An interesting thing is that earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz introduced a new performance acceleration on-demand upgrade, as a subscription service, which improves the acceleration of the EQS 450 4Matic, EQS 450 4Matic SUV, EQE 350 4Matic, EQE SUV 4Matic SUV.

In the case of the EQE 350 4Matic, the 0-60 mph time is reduced by 0.9 seconds from 6.0 to 5.1, at an expense of $60/month, $600/year, or $1,950 for a lifetime of the vehicle.

Currently, none of the Mercedes-Benz EQE versions are listed on the EPA’s website so we are still waiting for the EPA Combined range and efficiency ratings.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz EQE

Charging

All of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE versions are equipped with a 9.6-kW onboard charger, which is promised to recharge the battery from 10 to 100 percent of state-of-charge (SOC) in 10.5 hours.

Regarding DC fast charging, 10-80 percent SOC recharge is possible in 32 minutes at up to 170 kilowatts of power.

Comparison of EQE and EQS

Now, let’s take a look at the side-by-side comparison of the EQE and EQS, using the all-wheel drive versions – respectively EQE 350 4Matic (19-inch) and EQS 450 4Matic (20-inch) – as an example.

The EQE has about 16.4 percent smaller battery (90.6-kWh vs. 108.4-kWh) and quite a substantially lower EPA range (by over 23 percent), although we have to wait for the official rating.

Due to the lower power output (by almost one-fifth), the EQE is slightly slower than the EQS. Charging times are very comparable, both AC and DC.

The main difference appears to be the price (27 percent higher in the EQS) and standard equipment/features, so this is the thing to research before buying.

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