Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 Electric SUV India Review: German Middle-Ground

Luxury brands like BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz have all taken the shift to EV as an opportunity to set the tone for what their take on the ‘zero tailpipe emissions’ life will look like. Audi’s focused on keeping things low-key with options like the Q8 e-tron. BMW’s gone to prove their concept car showcases may as well have salesmen next to them instead of models because even the most over-the-top designs are now showroom ready, with cars like the BMW iX. Mercedes-Benz seems to be walking a middle lane between these two ideologies.

Looks

Is the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 a futuristic looking SUV? If the number of heads that turned on our drive in Gulmarg and Srinagar were any indicator, absolutely! The Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 SUV is an unusual bit of design because its looks are evidently driven by functionality. Save for the side step, there isn’t a single straight line on this SUV; it’s designed to ghost its way through the air, slipping as much resistance as possible to cut drag and optimise range.

The issue? This kind of design is a stark (too stark?) departure from the lines and presence people associate with SUVs. On our drive itself, the arrival of a GLE from Mercedes’ fleet had a greater sense of grandeur than the EQE SUV did, simply because it had a significantly more muscular presence. Additionally, this nature of design, while certainly distinct from other cars on the road, makes it tough to differentiate Mercedes-EQ cars from each other. This gets compounded by the fact that EQ cars have identical names for sedans and SUVs (EQE SUV, EQE sedan, EQS SUV, EQS sedan).

What the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 SUV delivers in spades is big numbers to tally: 1.3 million pixels in each of the digital LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, 12 parking sensors (front and rear combined), 6 cameras (for park assist and ADAS) and comically, over 270 Mercedes-Benz logos in the large front grille panel (yes, we counted).

Interior

Step inside and you’re welcomed by a 56-inch hyperscreen, which is actually 3 different screens comprising the digital cluster, central infotainment screen and a separate display for the front passenger. At the backdrop is a seemingly boat-inspired dashboard with 64 colours of ambient lighting piped into every spot Mercedes-Benz could find.

The absolute bombardment of Mercedes logos is also seen on the popout central storage cover, a great opportunity to have your toddler count something to sleep instead of looking at a screen (not that the EQE SUV is lacking in that regard). The material quality is top-notch, especially when it comes to the leatherette upholstery but certain plastic panels, like the ones behind the powered seat controls and those of the steering controls, feel out of place.

The space available inside is generous but it still isn’t what we’d deem outright chauffeur-driven owner focused. Two 6-footers can sit one behind the other with heaps of knee room to spare. The rear base is sloped quite sharply to tuck you into the seat but tall users would have benefited from a longer squab for better thigh support. 

Outside of an armrest and two rear climate control zones, rear-seat owners don’t get much by way of amenities. No rear entertainment screens or even roller blinds of any kind. They can, however, enjoy the view from the plus-sized panoramic sunroof. A good family car? Certainly, but you can have a better rear seat experience for less money even within the Mercedes-Benz family.

Boot space would be strong (520 litres) had it not been for the space-saver spare tyre being placed there. With it latched in place, you can get a few small bags in but not much else (there is a recess underneath for small soft bags). You can chuck the tyre out and hope you don’t encounter a bad pothole on the B-roads leading up to your farmhouse.

Tech

At first, the hyperscreen in the Mercedes-Benz EQE500 will seem as daunting as it is impressive. However, operating the screen is something you can get used to in a day or two. It does support wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay and offers excellent sound quality from the 15-speaker Burmester sound system, especially with the EQE’s impressive noise insulation.

The front passenger’s screen is more of a novelty feature that can come in handy in some situations, say if the front passenger wants to fiddle with the settings or play DJ on a road trip while the driver needs the navigation feed on the central screen. You can also pair a set of bluetooth earphones to the screen and listen to audio independent of the car’s sound system, although most users would see it better to just use their own phones in the first place.

Feature Highlights

Drive

It’s a rocketship! With 408PS and 858Nm at your (quite literally immediate) disposal, the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC SUV darts ahead with vigour. All-wheel-drive helps dig the torque in hard and even strong throttle inputs are rarely accompanied with any tyre slip or hesitation. Accompanying the eager acceleration are 3 sound modes you can choose from, ranging from Silver Waves (sounds like a V6) to Roaring Pulse (a futuristic interpretation of a V8, if that makes any sense).

Of course, daily drives are a breeze too with the comfy ride helping our entire shoot crew knock right out on the drive from Gulmarg to Srinagar International Airport. While the car does ride on large 20-inch wheels, the tyre profile is chunky enough to aid the air suspension when it comes to bump absorption, though you still won’t find yourself flying through any patchy roads. Sharper bumps will be felt in the cabin. 

Mercedes-Benz India didn’t disclose the exact ground clearance number but even with the ride height raised, you aren’t sitting especially high off the ground. We’d like to get more time in Mumbai and Pune with the car to put it through the speed breaker test; something the now phased out Mercedes-Benz EQC was not good at clearing.

The 90.5kWh battery delivers a claimed range of 550km (WLTP) though you can realistically look at a driving range of ~400km. Paddle-shifters can be used to control the brake energy regeneration levels though there isn’t a pure one-pedal mode.

With a 170kW DC fast charger, the EQE500 can go from 10-80 percent charge in about half an hour. Using the AC home wallbox (22kW) charger, the SUV can be taken from 10-100 percent in about 5-6 hours.

Verdict

Sold in India as a direct import, the Mercedes-Benz EQE500 4MATIC SUV delivers a tech-first approach to the family electric SUV experience. Its asking price of Rs 1.39 crore (ex-showroom) is steep and the electric powertrain, along with the fancy interior, are the major motivators behind wanting this SUV in the first place i.e. if you just wanted a great, premium, luxurious family SUV, you could get a Mercedes-Benz GLE or GLS and get a richer rear seat experience for the same or less money.

It offers an experience with a greater sense of occasion than the Audi Q8 E-Tron while being a bit more subtle than the BMW iX, making it a reasonable middle ground in the luxury EV space.