MERCEDES-BENZ EQE

There is something about Mercedes electric car design language that sets each apart from a direct rival. The EQE is no different. It isn't radical or boisterous or polarising in any way or angle. Its road presence itself is likely to - visually speaking - dwarf in comparison to the iX from BMW. And yet, here is a confident electric SUV that prioritises flowing lines and clean creases over all else.

The closed front grille in Black on the face of the EQE has become a signature move on Mercedes EVs while the curved and sleek LED head light design too is a familiar sight. There is a solid chrome treatment towards the bottom which is the only flashy bit here.

From the side profile, the Mercedes EQE's large proportions begin to appear clearer. The EV stands on 20-inch alloy wheels and there is a stepping board running all across the length of the two doors. The windows are quite large and the roofline flows gently into and over the C-pillar. Most of how the EV is shaped is also because of a sincere bid to enhance its aero credentials.

The rear once again make use of signature LED tail lights and a stretched LED light bar on the trunk.

The biggest highlight within the EQE and its obviously luxurious cabin is the 56-inch Hyperscreen that stretches from one corner of the dashboard to the other. Although already seen in several of the top-end model from Mercedes, it continues to be quite a sight and is the best in the business. All the three screens here are connected by tempered glass overlay and the touch interface remains as intuitive as ever.

The other feature highlights here include a giant panoramic sunroof on top, multi-zone climate control, HEPA air filtration system and a 15-speaker Burmester sound system. There is also massage functionality but once again, it is only for the driver and the front passenger - Mercedes needs to wake up and ensure that the back-seat passengers don't get the step-child treatment. After all, the owner is most likely to sit in these seats anyway.

Speaking about the rear seats, these are quite comfortable with top-notch materials and upholstery used. It has generous amount of leg space, knee room and head height, while three passengers can be quite comfortable too owing to a flat floorbed. The only folly here is that the under-thigh support is strangely inadequate and one would surely feel this on long journeys. And because of its large battery capacity, the EQE is capable of long journeys indeed.

The honest admission here is that we didn't quite test the drive quality of the EQE as exhaustively as we would have wanted to because the scenic yet narrow roads of Gulmarg didn't quite provide for a comprehensive setting. That said, we did test it on a few important parameters and the takeaways were clear.

The EQE is a large vehicle but it doesn't seem quite as large when buckled up and on the move in the driver's seat. Obviously silent, obviously powerful and obnoxiously refined, this EQE is an SUV that mostly behaves as well as its sedan sibling.

The battery pack at the core of the EQE is a 90.56kWh that powers a dual-motor setup. There is 408 hp for the taking and an outlandish 858 Nm of combined torque. The EQE, on paper, can do 0 to 100 kmph in 4.9 seconds and that is insanely quick for an SUV of this dimension. Top speed is set at 210 kmph but we obviously couldn't test these either in Gulmarg or our drive towards Srinagar. But what is evident is that the EV has a very well-engineered steering with every input being responded to with precision. The suspension set up is also nicely done - the air suspensions lift the EV by 25 mm, perfect for bad roads, and the control on NVH levels is quite outstanding.

Mercedes claims that the EQE has a WLTP-certified range of 550 kms and during our drive test stretching around 80 kms, we got a fair idea of what the total claimed figure is all about. The charge was down to around 75 per cent only. This despite some rough testing all along - impromptu acceleration, slam-dunk braking and steep climbs.

The EQE is the first confident all-electric Mercedes-Benz EV that we have driven and while it may still be relatively early days for battery-powered cars - at least in the larger scheme of things, here is a machine that assimilates all that Mercedes is lauded for. And then some more.

The EQE is pricey for sure and there are some very solid rivals like the Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron and the BMW iX in the fray too. But on its own merit, this Mercedes EQE - complete with its industry-leading 10 years' warranty on the battery - opens up new possibilities for those willing to take the dive into the world of battery-powered mobility.