EAGER TO PLEASE

As the electric equivalent of an E-Class, Mercedes-Benz's new EQE has the potential to shake up the executive car category. But first it'll have to beat its Porsche rival

Mercedes-Benz
EQE 300 AMG Line
Premium
List price £79,345 Target Price £79,345 All-new electric executive saloon borrows heavily from the larger EQS, with a tech-filled interior and an impressive official range of 365 miles

I fat first you don't succeed, try again with a smaller, lower-priced, more attainable version of your first flagship electric executive I saloon. That's how the saying goes, right? We jest, but considering that the range-topping MercedesBenz EQS was designed to be an electric alternative to the mighty S-Class luxury car, it hasn't quite lived up to that billing, with its impressive 400-mile-plus range and tech-filled interior overshadowed by inconsistent ride quality and a relatively cramped interior.

Hence the importance of the EQE. As the electric equivalent of the venerable E-Class, it aims to take the headline-grabbing features of the EQS - namely its impressive range and luxurious interior and wrap them up in a more competitive package. And it certainly gets off to a good start where range is concerned: even in entry-level, rear-wheel-drive EQE 300 form (the model that should take the bulk of UK sales), you can officially travel for up to 365 miles before you need to stop to top up its sizeable, 89kWh (usable capacity) battery. That's a match for the entry-level BMW i4.

But there is a catch: the price. Because while the EQE is more 'attainable' than the £120,000 EQS, with prices starting from £74,345, it is still significantly more expensive than a rangetopping i4 or Tesla Model 3.