Now that Mercedes has introduced the EQS flagship electric vehicle, we are gradually turning our attention towards yet another member of the company’s growing zero-emissions portfolio. Already officially confirmed to debut in September, the EQE will be the E-Class of EVs in the same vein as the EQS represents the S-Class of electric vehicles.
Meanwhile, there’s still testing that needs to be done to iron out all the kinks. A near-production prototype has been spotted approaching an intersection while still carrying extensive camouflage. We can’t help but notice the mismatched wheels, with the front ones being the more interesting thanks to a sportier design and what seem to be golden brake calipers.
It could be a sign we’re dealing with a performance version of the EQE, especially since the front brake rotors are rather large and the tires appear to have a low profile. It’s worth mentioning the prototype is a traditional sedan with a proper trunk lid whereas the bigger EQS is a more practical liftback. You can easily tell this is a sedan by the placement of the third brake light.
The swoopy styling of the EQS is not as dramatic on the EQE, but nevertheless, we’re getting the feeling both high-end electric cars will share a lot of the design cues. A closer look shows pop-out door handles and the washer fluid cap on the front fender, thus mirroring Mercedes’ range-topping electric car. The disguise gets in the way, but logic tells us there will be LED light bars at the front and rear. In addition, a blocked-off front grille is also a certainty since it’s installed on all EQ-badged models, including the recently unveiled EQB crossover.
We’re hearing Mercedes will offer the EQE with all-wheel drive, meaning there will be a dual-motor configuration with some serious power and near-instant torque. The engineers are apparently targeting a maximum range of 600 kilometers (373 miles) in the WLTP cycle, which is a plausible figure considering the crown jewel of the lineup offers 770 km (478 miles) with the biggest battery.
With a September reveal confirmed at the 2021 IAA show in Munich, we’re expecting Mercedes to kick off the teaser campaign in a couple of months in the build-up to the EQE’s big debut. Sales could start before the end of the year or early 2022.
Source: walkoARTvideos / YouTube
