Dynamic evaluation of Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 500: A stable horse
Following the Mercedes-Benz E 300 L, I recently had the experience of driving another luxury electric SUV from Mercedes-Benz's lineup—the EQE SUV 500. In terms of chassis structure, this vehicle does not utilize air suspension combined with rear-wheel steering; instead, it is equipped with the AGILITY CONTROL suspension control system.
Compared to its own internal combustion E-Class, the all-electric EQE SUV is not a high-volume product. Upon entering the EQE SUV, the most striking feature should be the large wooden trim panel, which exudes a classic luxury car vibe.
The central control screen has been replaced with a vertically oriented screen, which is not overly large but sufficient for use, with good fluidity and clarity. The UI/UE design is consistent, both being quite simple, and a few physical buttons are retained to control some frequently used functions. By navigating through the menu or pressing the physical button "EQ," one can view trip information, range, charging (charging settings), and energy consumption.
On the range interface, one can increase the range by limiting certain functions when necessary. When the "Eco Driving Function" is activated, the vehicle actually imposes physical restrictions. At this point, the accelerator pedal can sense that the electric adjustment has limited the throttle depth, and one can only press down a portion of the throttle unless they intentionally apply more force.In the driving mode, an off-road mode has been added. By clicking on "Off-Road" in the menu, you can access information including tire pressure, driving modes, orientation, pitch angle, etc., and also control the hill descent, radar, and ESP functions.
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By activating the camera function in this interface, the vehicle synthesizes a "transparent chassis" image display based on camera information, allowing the driver to observe the underside of the vehicle from inside the cabin. However, this feature can only be used at low speeds and automatically disengages once a certain speed is exceeded (it's unlikely to be used at high speeds anyway).
In terms of intelligence, there is an "EV Intelligent Assistant" that can predict the next departure time based on the user's recent travel habits, thereby automatically controlling the in-car air conditioning in advance to provide a comfortable cabin temperature. This feature seems quite user-friendly, but since my travel patterns during this test drive were too random, I was unable to experience whether this function is truly useful or not.
The EQE SUV's seats differ from the E 300 L in terms of comfort and luxury, especially the rear seats which lack electric adjustment functions and cannot be reclined. Additionally, the rear seat backrests are more upright, which may slightly reduce comfort. Of course, for a more functionally focused SUV, this is not unexpected.Before driving the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, I had heard that the EQE SUV features a massive air conditioning filter, which I had never seen before and was eager to inspect firsthand. As I attempted to open the hood to take a look, I spent a considerable amount of time searching for the hood release lever, only to find it elusive. The voice control was also ineffective, forcing me to seek help online. It turns out that to open the hood, one must locate a secured cover beneath the driver's instrument panel, open the cover, and pull out the latch to release the hood.
The official word from Mercedes-Benz is that under normal circumstances, users do not need to open the hood, and when it is necessary, it should be opened by professionals at an authorized service center. As for topping up windshield washer fluid, a dedicated opening has been designed on the left front fender, eliminating the need to open the hood for this task. Moreover, once the hood is open, even the prop rod has been omitted.
Personally, I find this approach somewhat disagreeable. What if a user is out and about and suddenly finds the coolant level too low, with no way to top it up? It is also inconvenient for regular checks on the fluid levels, and over time, replacing the air conditioning filter becomes a hassle. However, I suspect that Mercedes-Benz owners have these tasks performed at the service center. In our work group, Mr. Liu mentioned that this design choice also takes into account the high-voltage components in the front compartment, preventing owners from tampering with them for safety reasons.
Another issue is that the large A-pillars of the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV somewhat obstruct the view, creating significant blind spots on both sides.The static introduction comes to an end. A luxury electric vehicle cannot be "just considered as a sofa to sit on"; it still needs to reflect in the driving experience. If the driving experience is not good, I don't think it can be considered luxurious.
01
Power Performance + Ride Smoothness
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 500 has three common power modes (excluding off-road and custom modes) and is equipped with dual motors, so it won't be shy in terms of power.
In the economy mode, when accelerating with a small to medium throttle, the acceleration feeling is not strong, and the power output is relatively gentle and smooth, focusing on a stable start. At this time, the power is sufficient. When the full throttle is applied, the power is fully released, and the acceleration feeling is very strong. In the mid to low-speed range, your head is pressed against the headrest, and in the high-speed range, the acceleration feeling is relatively weaker, but the acceleration ability is still strong. In comfort and sport modes, the power output is more aggressive, and the throttle response is more sensitive.The three modes progress in sequence, especially in sport mode, where a light touch on the accelerator results in a very noticeable power output, similar to the power output feeling when the BMW i5 is in Boost mode. However, in terms of smoothness, it is better than the BMW i5, with no significant impact.
On mountain roads, I find the acceleration performance and power response of electric vehicles to be the most comfortable, especially suitable for overtaking. Strong power and quick overtaking are more conducive to safety, but safety should also be noted.
In terms of driving smoothness, the smoothness is quite good. In economy and comfort modes, there are no obvious jolts or shocks when tip in or tip out, and the power response speed is appropriate, without any discomfort. In sport mode, although there are no obvious shocks or other phenomena when tip in and tip out, due to the large instantaneous acceleration, the pitch changes of the vehicle are significant, which to some extent affects comfort (not a driving issue, just mentioning it), and there are no major issues with the vehicle's driving smoothness.
02
Braking PerformanceThe braking feel of the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 500 and the Mercedes E 300 L share some similarities; could they be considered part of the same lineage?
During light braking, the free travel is slightly longer, but the pedal force feels quite appropriate, providing good feedback in terms of foot sensation. The linearity of the braking force is also acceptable, with a gentler gradient of braking force build-up (it builds up more gradually), and there are no particularly noticeable issues with adjustability, allowing for adjustments as needed.
During moderate braking, the response is good, with the pedal force and travel being relatively moderate, and they can be adjusted as needed without any significant discomfort. However, the pitch control during braking is relatively average, with a slightly larger pitch angle, which can affect comfort.
During heavy braking with ABS intervention, the sensation is quite good, with minimal ABS noise and stable vehicle control, so the vehicle does not noticeably pull to one side. Releasing the hands from the steering wheel during braking does not affect the stability, and the ABS modulation frequency is dense, giving an overall good impression.
Overall, the braking performance is sufficient for a large vehicle with a curb weight exceeding 2.5 tons. Apart from the slight impact on braking confidence due to the longer free travel during light braking, it meets braking requirements at other times. The only occasional issue is a minor braking noise at startup, which does not affect the driving experience at all.03
Steering Feel
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Steering also comes in two modes, Comfort and Sport. There are no significant issues with the flexibility of low-speed, large-angle steering, and the subjective feeling of the turning radius is at a normal level, not noticeably large. However, the overall steering effort is somewhat greater compared to the E 300 L, with a stronger sense of torque feedback.
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Regarding on-center steering, both Comfort and Sport modes have a small dead zone in torque (steering effort slack), but the steering window (angle slack) is relatively large. The response to on-center steering is comparatively small, less than that of the Mercedes-Benz E 300 L, and the response to small-angle steering is not very sensitive.
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The steering effort increases noticeably with the steering angle, with a clear centering sensation. The torque build-up is quite linear, but there is a slightly noticeable rubbery feel when steering, giving the impression that the steering connection to the tires is not as direct.For the return-to-center performance, both low-speed and high-speed return effects are quite good, able to return to the neutral position normally with a moderate return speed. At low speeds, the return is smooth and stable without any wobbling, while at high speeds, there is a slight overshoot and oscillation during the return, but the amplitude of the oscillation is small and it converges quickly.
When switching to the sport mode, compared to the comfort mode, the gradient of torque buildup is steeper (with a higher torque at the same steering angle). At low speeds, there is not much difference in steering effort between the two modes, but the distinction becomes more apparent at high speeds and during large angle turns.
The steering precision is average, not as precise as the E 300 L. Additionally, when making quick steering maneuvers at low speeds, there is a slightly noticeable catch-up phenomenon (lack of assistance, increased effort), it is unclear whether this is due to a different steering system compared to the E 300 L or because the EQE SUV500 has a greater weight, resulting in a heavier front axle load and higher demands on the steering system.Steady Performance
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In terms of straight-line driving stability, the vehicle's pitch suppression during acceleration and deceleration is not particularly high, with noticeable pitch, which can affect comfort during frequent changes in speed. However, the tire grip during rapid acceleration is good, with no significant slipping, and there is no torque steer phenomenon. The vehicle maintains stable driving even when influenced by road conditions, showing minimal impact from the road surface, and aside from pitch, the straight-line driving stability is quite good.
Regarding cornering stability, the steady-state is slightly neutral in steering. When accelerating in corners to change the motion state, the vehicle tends to have a slight understeer, but the controllability is decent. Performing braking operations of various intensities in corners results in good vehicle stability and a stable body.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 500 offers three modes for the chassis. When using the sport mode, the vehicle exhibits good control of body roll in corners, with a smaller roll angle and a more moderate roll speed, showing less body roll compared to the E 300 L, which gives a more substantial lateral support. In the other two modes, the body roll is slightly greater than in sport mode, but there is no significant difference in stability.
On mountain roads and corners, the suspension control is tighter compared to the E 300 L, eliminating the lateral sway that occurs when the E 300 L's rear axle encounters larger bumps, small speed bumps, or damaged roads. The recovery from body roll during aggressive maneuvers is faster, leading to better stability.However, it is speculated that due to the greater self-weight and a more comfort-oriented tire setup (Bridgestone 225/45 R20), the vehicle's grip during aggressive cornering is somewhat inferior to that of the E 300 L with Pirelli tires. At the same cornering speed, the vehicle is more prone to tire squealing and sliding. The following image shows the tire wear under aggressive driving conditions, and it can be observed that the wear occurs far from the center.
During lane change maneuvers, in comfort mode, there is a slight lag in yaw response during high lateral accelerations, but the roll control is quite good. In sport mode, the yaw response improves, the roll amplitude is slightly smaller than in comfort mode, and the convergence of roll and yaw is better.
Overall, the roll during lane changes is a bit less compared to the E 300 L, but the EQE SUV 500 intervenes earlier in both ESP modes, making it more likely to trigger. Fortunately, when it triggers, the control is relatively gentle and not abrupt, and it can still control the vehicle's posture well.
The overall handling performance is capable of handling everyday situations with sufficient safety. It is not difficult to drive, and for a "chubby and tall" SUV, it is considered to be of high quality.05
Ride Smoothness
In terms of ride smoothness, the initial impression of the EQE SUV 500 is that the early-stage control of the shock absorbers is better than that of the E 300 L. On some off-road surfaces, the body sway is reduced, and overall, there is a noticeable enhancement in the control of the suspension system, without pursuing an overly "soft" effect.
Secondary smoothness still has room for improvement in handling. On smooth surfaces or some rough roads, minor vibrations on the steering wheel and brake pedal are a bit more noticeable, lacking a sense of isolation, but it is better than the E 300 L, which has more pronounced vibrations and also transmits minor vibrations through the seat. On smooth surfaces, the control of bumps is quite good, providing a stable ride. The control of the unsprung mass is also good in response to road impacts, with no significant vibrations being transmitted upwards, and the rolling sensation on the road is also satisfactory.
In terms of primary smoothness, when driving on continuous damaged surfaces or rural cement roads, the vehicle's pitch control is quite good, but the lateral control is slightly worse. There is a bit more lateral sway and roll motion, which causes the head to move side to side inside the vehicle, affecting comfort. On roads that appear relatively smooth to the naked eye, as shown in the figure below, there can still be lateral sway when the vehicle is in motion.In the case of continuous smooth minor undulations on the road surface, there is a minor issue with pitch control. The pitch movements are small but quite frequent, which can cause occupants to feel a slight nodding motion inside the vehicle. When encountering certain roads with lateral bumps, the characteristic is the same; after the rear axle passes, it feels as if the rebound damping is slightly lacking, causing the rear axle to push the vehicle body upwards, resulting in a pitch motion. There is also a slight imbalance between the front and rear suspensions.
Regarding road impact, such as speed bumps and large potholes, the suspension feels softer to impacts, with less lift and better convergence under the spring, without the rolling phenomenon experienced in the E 300 L. The contact noise is slightly louder, however. For minor impacts like road seams, the handling is quite good, with a soft touch and quieter sound, slightly better than the E 300 L.
In summary, the ride smoothness is acceptable for most road surfaces, and it would be even better if the pitch and roll issues could be addressed. However, as it stands, users should not have too many complaints. Personally, I prefer a more compact suspension control for comfort; the comfort akin to a large ship is not necessarily better.Jia Shi Summary
From an experiential perspective, I believe the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 500 is a rather conventional electric SUV. In terms of luxury, it continues the brand's consistent tone, but it lacks that certain wow factor that catches one's eye.
In terms of driving experience, there are no surprises; it is not a product that emphasizes extreme performance, focusing instead on the inherent balance and moderation of luxury.
If I were to spend 500,000 to 600,000 yuan on such an electric vehicle, it might not be a choice that most people would make. However, the EQE SUV is not an entry-level Mercedes product, especially with the significant end-of-line discounts currently available, I believe it can attract a segment of people who have certain expectations of the Mercedes brand.
Finally, I would like to share a personal opinion:Nowadays, the new energy vehicle market is plagued by a lack of differentiation, and I believe it is challenging for a car that lacks distinctive features and emphasizes balance and moderation to stand out in the market. It is no longer an era where a brand alone can sell cars well, and this applies not only to Mercedes-Benz but to other brands as well.
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