New 2022 Mercedes EQE electric SUV spied for the first time

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This is the upcoming all-electric Mercedes EQE SUV. Spotted during development testing for the first time, the electric SUV will form part of the German manufacturer’s EQ sub-brand when it arrives in 2022, lining up as a direct rival for the Tesla Model X.

Mercedes’ ambition is to have a fleet of fully electric models under the EQ brand that mirror the firm’s conventional line-up. The first was the EQC - an electric alternative to the GLC - and arriving at the end of this year will be the more compact EQA and EQB models.


Beyond that will be the EQE - a badge that will be shared across a large saloon and an SUV. Prototypes of the saloon have already been spotted, but this is our first sighting of the SUV, revealing that the two models will share an almost identical front end.

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The heavy disguise makes it difficult to pick out finer details, but it's clear the EQE models will feature slender LED headlamps that merge into a single frame grille. From the A-pillar back, the SUV takes on traditional, boxy SUV proportions.

Beneath the skin, the EQE SUV and saloon will both sit on Mercedes’ new dedicated EV platform, which debuts on the EQS saloon next year. Called MEA, the new platform should allow for greater flexibility when it comes to determining a vehicle’s proportions, wheelbase and practicality, as the engineers do not have to accommodate a gearbox or engine. As such, the EQE will be a purpose built proposition, compared with the EQC, which uses a modified version of the GLC platform.

Mercedes is expected to offer a broad lineup of battery options and power outputs in the EQE line-up, thanks to the modular nature of the MEA platform. In fact, the German manufacturer has already applied to trademark a whole host of badging, through form EQE 300 up to EQE 600. Expect a range that could top out at 370 miles on a single charge from flagship models.

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