Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
For those keen on an overview of the global electric vehicle (EV) market and the different types of electric vehicles (EVs), simply scroll down to the end of the article!
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The All-Electric Mercedes-Benz EQE Saloon
Mercedes-Benz, simply known as Mercedes, is a leading global luxury automative manufacturer based in Germany. The company is headquartered in Stuttgart and is famed for its high quality passenger vehicles, to include the Mercedes-Maybach. However, the company is also a leader in manufacturing commercial vehicles, to include the plug-in Mercedes eSprinter commercial EV and the plug-in Mercedes eVito electric van.
Mercedes-Benz EQ is the sub-brand used by the company for its portfolio of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and mild hybrids. The pure electric cars are branded as EQ, while the PHEVs are branded as EQ Power. The mild hybrid vehicles are branded as EQ Boost. The portfolio includes:
- The all-electric EQA
- The all-electric EQB
- The all-electric EQC
- The all-electric EQE
- The all-electric EQS
- The all-electric EQV
The all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQE Saloon is part of the Mercedes-Benz EQ electric mobility family. The electric EQE saloon is smaller than the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS saloon and is positioned to compete against the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan premium electric cars.
As would be expected, the EQE and EQS have a very similar exterior styling, but the wheelbase of the EQE is 90 mm smaller than the EQS. The EQE battery-electric vehicle (BEV), is the sixth BEV from Mercedes and was unveiled at the 2021 Munich Motor Show.
The EQE saloon is available, both, as a rear-wheel drive (RWD) and a higher performance all-wheel drive (AWD) variant. The rear-wheel drive EQE 300 has a 89 kWh onboard EV battery with a WLTP zero-emission electric range up to 384 miles. The all-wheel drive EQE 53 has a 90.6 kWh EV battery with a WLTP quoted e-range up to 290 miles.
Of course, the real-world pure electric range will be lower, impacted by a number of factors, to include, speed! So not surprising to note the lower e-range for the higher performance variant. For the EQE 300 expect a real-world range closer to 325 miles, while for the EQE 53, a range of 250 miles will be more realistic. In any case, the EV range offered is practical and useful for most driving needs, to include, longer distance motorway trips.
Both variants offer DC charging up to 170 kW DC as standard. The EV battery can be charged up to 80% in 31 minutes. The manufacturer also offers a 3-phase 11 kW AC onboard charger as standard. However, as most homes in India are limited to single-phase power supply, taking advantage of the 11 kW charging speed will only be for those with access to 3-phase EV charging at home, workplace or a public charging station.
Using a dedicated three-phase (11 kW) EV charger, the EQE electric car can be fully charged in 8 hours and 30 minutes. Single-phase charging will take longer. We at e-zoomed recommend charging overnight at home, when the electricity tariff rates are cheaper.
The EQE 300 delivers 0-62 mph in 7.3 seconds (max power: 245/ torque: 565 Nm). The top speed of the EV is 130 mph. The higher performance all-wheel drive AMG EQE 53 delivers 0-62 mph in a whopping 3.5 seconds (max power: 625/ torque: 950 Nm). The top speed of the EV is 137 mph. Of course, the electric car also benefits from instant torque.
Like the EQS, the EQE has a high quality interior and specifications, to include: a dual-screen infotainment system as standard, with an option for a MBUX hyperscreen (17.7 inches). The luxurious EQE electric vehicle (EV) is packed with technology, to include: active distance assist DISTRONIC, rear sensors for the lane departure assistant, active steering assist, fingerprint scanner, MBUX multimedia system, widescreen cockpit, 360° camera, memory parking assist and more.
In terms of practicality, the four-door medium-sized EQE electric car offers a 430 L boot space. The roofline does impact the available headroom for rear seat passengers and the rear-view visibility.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE Saloon is not available in India.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
Good EV range | Boot space limited |
DC Charging up to 170 kW DC and 11 kW AC onboard charger as standard | Roofline impacts practicality |
Available as rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive | Cheaper alternatives available |
The All-Electric Mercedes-Benz EQE Saloon (credit: Mercedes)
One of the key advantages of driving an electric vehicle (EV), is that, it is cheaper to drive, compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE), petrol and diesel vehicles. For many years, we have witnessed a significant increase in prices at petrol pumps across India. However, this is not an ‘India’ only trend, but a global trend. We can continue to expect an inflation in global petrol and diesel prices for the foreseeable future.
Both, a pure electric car and a plug-in hybrid electric car, offer significant savings on driving costs per mile, when driven on zero-tailpipe emission electric mode. In India, filling a petrol or diesel car can cost anything between Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. As an example, the very popular Audi Q7 diesel SUV has a fuel capacity of 85 litres. Assuming an average cost per litre of Rs 90, the cost of filling a full tank will be up to Rs 7,650!
In comparison, the all-electric Audi e-tron SUV , which is now available in India, and a similar size to the Audi Q7, can be fully recharged for less than Rs 1,000. Put another way, charging the Audi electric SUV, can save up to 85% compared to filling a full tank of fuel (in India, the average cost for residential electricity is between Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kWh).
At an average one can expect a cost per km of Rs 1 for a zero-emission EV, while for an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle, the cost per km could be up to Rs 7 per km. The annual cost savings achieved by switching to electric driving is significant! The sooner you switch to green cars, the sooner you can start saving money. That is simply the bottom-line!
At A Glance | |
---|---|
EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
Vehicle Type: | Saloon |
Engine: | Electric |
Available In India: | No |
Variants (6 Options) |
---|
EQE 300 AMG Line |
EQE 300 AMG Line Premium |
EQE 300 AMG Line Premium Plus |
EQE 300 Exclusive Luxury |
Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 Night Edition |
Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 Touring |
EV Battery & Emissions | |
---|---|
EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
EV Battery Capacity: | Available in two battery sizes: 89 kWh/ 90.6 kWh |
Charging: | 170 kW DC Rapid Charging. Onboard charger 11 kW AC |
Charge Port: | Type 2 |
EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
Warranty: | 8 years or 100,000 miles |
Dimensions | |
---|---|
Height (mm): | 1,503 |
Width (mm): | 2,104 |
Length (mm): | 4,946 |
Wheelbase (mm): | 3,120 |
Turning Circle (m): | 12.5 |
Boot Space (L): | 430 |
Charging Times (Overview) | |
---|---|
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
EQE 300 | |
---|---|
EV Battery Capacity: | 89 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 346 – 384 miles |
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | 186 – 167 |
Charging: | 170 kW DC rapid charging (10%-80%: 31 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (10%-100% : 8 hrs and 30 mins) |
Top Speed: | 130 mph |
0-62 mph: | 7.3 seconds |
Drive: | Rear-wheel drive (RWD) |
Max Power (hp): | 245 |
Torque (Nm): | 565 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 4 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 2,355 |
Colours: | 9 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
AMG EQE 53 | |
---|---|
EV Battery Capacity: | 90.6 kWh |
Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 289 – 290 miles |
Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | 224 – 223 |
Charging: | 170 kW DC rapid charging (10%-80%: 30 mins). Onboard charger 11 kW AC (10%-100% : 8 hrs and 30 mins) |
Top Speed: | 137 mph |
0-62 mph: | 3.5 seconds |
Drive: | All-wheel drive (AWD) |
Max Power (hp): | 625 |
Torque (Nm): | 950 |
Transmission: | Automatic |
Seats: | 5 |
Doors: | 4 |
Kerb Weight (kg): | 2,525 |
Colours: | 9 |
NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
Pure Electric Cars Available In India
For most of us in India, recognising an electric car on our roads will be a challenge. Compared to the more matured EV markets, like China and Europe, the availability of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in India is still limited. Having said that, the leading automotive manufacturers in India, like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra, have demonstrated leadership in the development and introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in India, to include, the Tata Nexon EV and the Mahindra eVerito. Tata announced recently it had increased its sale of EVs in India by a whopping 353% in FY22 compared to FY21. Tata sold 19,106 EVs in FY22.
India currently has up to 20 pure electric cars on sale, ranging from Rs 11.99 to Rs 2.05 Crore. Leading international automotive brands like Audi AG, BMW AG, Hyundai Motor Company, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Mercedes-Benz, MG Motors, Porsche AG & the Volvo Group have introduced plug-in pure electric cars in India. We can expect many more international automotive companies to follow suit, to include, the famed EV manufacturer, Tesla Inc. In fact, Elon Musk has already made public his intentions to sell Tesla electric cars in India.
For the successful development of the electric driving market, the deployment of widespread EV charging infrastructure is a prerequisite, to include, charging at home and public EV charging stations. In India, electric car charging infrastructure is still at very nascent stages. The total number of public charge points in India are currently a mere 1,742. EV chargers installed at homes is also at a nascent stage.
Lastly, the introduction of cheaper electric cars with longer ranges is vital in building confidence with potential buyers to migrate to zero-tailpipe emission electric cars. EVs at a price point below Rs 20 Lakhs will be key in spurring growth in the Indian EV market. Below is a list of BEVs currently available in India.
EV | Type Of EV | Price |
---|---|---|
Audi e-tron | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.00 Crore |
Audi RS e-tron GT | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 2.05 Crore |
Audi e-tron Sportback | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.19 Crore |
Audi e-tron GT | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.8 Crore |
BMW iX Electric SAV | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.16 Crore |
Hyundai Kona Electric | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 23.79 Lakhs |
Jaguar I-PACE | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.05 Crore |
Mercedes-Benz EQC | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 1.06 Crore |
MG ZS EV | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 21.49 Lakhs |
Porsche Taycan | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs. 1.5 Crore |
Porsche Cayenne E | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) | Rs 1.58 Crore |
Tata Tigor EV | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 11.99 Lakhs |
Tata Nexon | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) | Rs 14.24 Lakhs |
Volvo XC90 | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) | Rs 95 Lakhs |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.