Mercedes EQE long-term test

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 new Mercedes EQE company car 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 in early March, the trip meter has already clocked nearly 4000 miles. This mileage includes my regular 230-mile round-trip commute to work, various excursions to new car launches across the country, and a journey to Scotland to visit my family.

Predictably, the daily commutes have been a breeze. With a guaranteed charge at work and a one-way trip of 115 miles, range anxiety has been a non-issue. However, the prospect of a trip 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 slower mixed test route in summer conditions. So, how would it fare in winter at higher sustained speeds?

Surprisingly well, as it turns out. Despite the efficiency being noticeably lower than our summer results (3.03 vs. 3.7 miles/kWh), I only had to stop for a 29-minute charge 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. With the cruise control set at 70mph throughout, we still arrived in Glasgow with 21% battery charge remaining, averaging 62mph.

The EQE's impressive cruising manners were also a pleasant surprise. While the ride around town can feel a bit lumpy and unsettled, at higher speeds, it wafts along smoothly with minimal road or wind noise (thanks in part to the standard 19in wheels which are optimised for aerodynamic efficiency).

It's also evident that a significant effort has been made to optimise the EQE's efficiency at higher speeds, because the car exhibits an incredible lack of rolling resistance. On downhill stretches of the motorway, you can lift off the accelerator and the speedometer remains steady, occasionally even gaining a few digits. It's a nerdy but entertaining revelation.

My only significant gripe came from the charging network itself. Despite the presence of twelve 350kW chargers at Scotch Corner, they, like most public chargers, are exposed to the elements, poorly lit, and tucked away in a corner of the car park. Consequently, waiting in the wind and rain for the car to charge isn't particularly appealing, nor is leaving the vehicle unattended, especially when packed with your belongings.

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