Mercedes EQE long-term test: report 2

The car Mercedes EQE 300 Sport Edition Run by Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Why it’s here To see if Mercedes’ premium electric executive car can excel as a long-distance tourer and justify its price premium over cheaper rivals

Needs to Combine outstanding comfort and refinement with a class-leading real-world range

Miles covered 3953 List price £68,810 Target Price £64,810 Price as tested £69,505 Official range 380 miles

5 April 2024 – Smooth sailing

In my first report, I noted that my fully electric Mercedes EQE was in for a challenge, given that I live a hefty distance from the What Car? office. It’s little surprise, then, that since taking delivery of the car, the trip computer has already clocked up nearly 4000 miles. This includes my regular 230-mile roundtrip commute, various excursions to new car launches across the country, and a journey to Scotland to visit family.

Okay, with a guaranteed charge at the office if I get there in time to snag one of the four chargers, range anxiety has actually turned out to be a non-issue on the way to work. However, the drive to Scotland presented a greater challenge. The distance to my parent’s house is 313 miles from my base in Leicestershire – only slightly less than the 329-mile real-world range the EQE achieved on our mixed test route in summer conditions. So, how would it fare in winter at higher sustained speeds?

Surprisingly well, actually. Despite the efficiency being noticeably lower than our summer result (3.0 versus 3.7 miles/kWh), I had to stop only once. This break allowed me to grab some food at Scotch Corner services and let our dog (an Australian Labradoodle, Dino) stretch his legs. And at no point was I attempting to drive particularly efficiently. Instead of slipstreaming lorries at 60mph on the motorway, I zipped past them at 70mph. And if I got caught behind slow-moving vehicles, I simply put my foot down as soon as there was a gap, taking advantage of the EQE’s smooth, linear power delivery.

Indeed, trips like this probably suit the EQE best; the ride around town can feel a bit lumpy and unsettled, but it wafts along brilliantly at higher speeds. That said, it’s worth noting that pricier EQEs on air suspension (my entry-level car does without this) have a broader bandwidth, because they let you adjust the firmness to suit the conditions.

On the other hand, no EQE lets in a lot of road or wind noise, no doubt helped by the model’s super-sleek silhouette. Even the 19in wheels fitted to my car as standard were apparently designed with aerodynamics in mind.

It’s also evident that a significant effort has been made to optimise the EQE’s efficiency at higher speeds. There’s so little drag – or rolling resistance – from the tyres that, when you lift off the accelerator on gentle downhill grades, the speedometer doesn’t merely remain steady, it occasionally even gains a few digits.

On the drive to Scotland, the charging network gave more cause to gripe than the EQE itself. The presence at Scotch Corner of 12 350kW chargers is welcome, but, like many public chargers,, they’re poorly lit and tucked away in a corner of the car park. This made waiting in the EQE while it charged rather unappealing. Still, better that than leaving it unattended when packed with belongings.

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