⚡Quick Takeaways Box
- Powertrain: 402 hp, 633 lb-ft torque (dual-motor AWD)
- Range: 266 miles EPA (96 kWh battery)
- Interior Luxury: Massaging seats, Hyperscreen display, premium materials
- Charging: 170 kW DC fast charging (10-80% in 32 mins)
- Pricing: Starts at $87,050 MSRP; premium options can push it significantly higher
When Mercedes-Benz introduced the EQE sedan for the 2023 model year, it seemed poised to eventually replace the E-Class. Since then, EV adoption has slowed a bit and the political climate has shifted, leading Mercedes to dial back its plans to go all-electric by 2030. That leaves the EQE to justify its existence on merit alone.
I recently spent a week with the 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4Matic. It’s certainly a great first take on the luxury electric sedan, but it may have some room to grow.
Power and Efficiency
The "4Matic" in the EQE 500's name refers to its dual-motor setup, one motor at each axle, providing all-wheel drive. These efficient permanent magnet motors combined to produce 402 horsepower and 633 pound-feet of torque.
Power comes on smooth and strong at barely a whisper, with plenty of thrust for quick starts and easy highway passing. While it accelerates hard, the sensation plateaus at higher speeds rather than building like a gas engine. Mercedes quotes a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, swift, but not spectacular. That leaves space for the AMG version, which makes 617 horsepower and sprints to 0-60 mph in a neck-cracking 3.2 seconds.
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Drive modes include Eco, which dulls the throttle response for better efficiency, and Sport, which perks it up for quicker reactions. Additionally, Individual mode lets you customize the settings for the motors, dampers, steering weight, and stability control to dial in the type of responses you like.
For 2025, the EQE 500 gets a new battery with updated cell chemistry and 96 kilowatt-hours of energy, up from 90.6 kWh. Oddly, range is down from 298 miles to 266 miles. That’s short of the industry's generally accepted goal of 300 miles, but its efficiency is about average for an EV with a rating of 2.5 miles per kWh (slightly less than the EQE 350's 2.6 miles per kWh).
While the EQE is certainly a premium product, it doesn’t have a premium electrical architecture. Its 400-volt setup doesn’t charge as quickly as the 800-volt systems offered by Hyundai and Kia. Still, it can DC fast-charge at speeds up to 170 kilowatts, which, according to Mercedes, lets the battery go from 10-80 percent in 32 minutes. The brand also notes that the 9.6-kW onboard charger takes 11.5 hours for a full charge on a Level 2, 240-watt outlet. Other brands offer quicker 11.5-kW onboard chargers, and GM even has a 19.2-kW charger.
The next generation of Mercedes EVs, starting with the upcoming entry-level CLA-Class EV, are expected to have an 800-volt architecture and quicker onboard charging.
Comfortable and Controlled
The EQE 500 4Matic rides like a traditional Mercedes, pillowy smooth despite the standard 20-inch wheels and even with the dampers at their firmest setting.
This EV weighs in at 5,434 pounds, so there's a lot of mass for the suspension to wrangle. However, with the battery’s weight set low, it has a vault-like feel and handles better than its girth would suggest, seemingly hugging the road. My test car’s optional ($1,900) air suspension helps it fight body lean. It’s not particularly agile, though, except at parking lot speeds, where the standard rear-axle steering can turn the rear wheels up to 4.5 degrees. That makes it very easy to park, and optional 10-degree rear-axle steering makes it even easier.
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Steering is direct, if somewhat light. The biggest improvement for 2025 is the braking system. Earlier versions of Mercedes' EVs struggled with the handoff from regenerative to friction braking. A pause in braking consistency caused drivers to misjudge stops and end up a couple of feet into intersections. That issue was fixed this year when Mercedes recalibrated the braking software. It’s now more predictable and feels natural.
Mercedes also offers four brake recuperation modes, ranging from no recuperation to Strong. Strong brings the vehicle to a stop in most instances when you let off the throttle. If you don’t like the feel of a particular mode, simply change it using the paddles on the steering wheel.
High-Tech, High-Comfort Cabin
The EQE’s cabin presents a very comfortable, high-tech environment. The centerpiece is the standard Hyperscreen, which consists of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch front passenger display. It feels like you’re at the helm of an advanced data center, but the menu structures are fairly simple, and the screens react quickly to inputs.
The tech includes EV-optimized routing for the standard navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a fantastic Burmester audio system. Augmented reality overlays are also available for the navigation system.
The screens bathe the cabin in blue light that can be enhanced with the standard 64-color ambient lighting. That contributes to a serene atmosphere complemented by the lightly colored Neva Grey/Sable Brown leather upholstery of my test vehicle. The front seats are soft yet supportive and come with head pillows. It’s a supremely comfortable luxury environment, especially with my test vehicle's massaging Multicontour ($1,100) and ventilated front seats ($450).
Room is plentiful front and rear, and three can fit across in the back. The trunk is on the smaller size with 10.9 cubic feet of cargo space, and Mercedes missed an opportunity by not expanding that with a front trunk (frunk) as well.
The Cost of High Luxury
The EQE 500 4Matic’s MSRP starts at $87,050, including a $1,150 destination charge, but several comfort and convenience features still cost extra. For example, the Acoustic Comfort package adds an acoustic membrane to the front windows and windshield ($1,100) for extra sound insulation. An Energizing Air Control Plus package adds a HEPA filter ($450). And the Winter package bundles a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, a heated windshield, and heated windshield wipers ($1,500). At the EQE's price point, buyers might expect features like the heated steering wheel and acoustic windshield to come as standard.
Still, the EQE 500 4Matic delivers much of what most high-end EV buyers want: great power, a smooth ride, typical Mercedes interior luxury, and efficiency. It would benefit from a more advanced electrical system, more range, and a front trunk, but all those features could be added to the EQE's next generation.
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