Mercedes-Benz Philippines joins the ever-growing roster of brands offering electric vehicles locally with the launch of its brand-new electrified lineup.
In one fell swoop, the EQA250 Electric Art, the EQB250 Electric Art, the EQE300 Electric Art, and the EQE350+ AMG Line are now available.
The EQA is essentially an electrified form of the GLA, both with the drivetrain and its looks. With a motor developing 140kW and 385Nm, the EQA manages a purported 0-100km/h time of 8.6 seconds up to a Vmax of 160km/h. Combined with the 66.5kWh battery, it gets a WLTP range of 457km to 495km.
While it may seem larger than the vehicles of yesteryear, it seems to slot in right within the current generation of its class. At 4,463mm long, 1,834mm wide and 1,613mm tall, it’s somewhere in the middle of the pack as far as electrified crossovers go these days. And, with a curb weight of 2,040kg, it’s not exactly featherlight either.
The front grille is a solid piece with the Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star prominently up front. The high-performance LED headlights are about what you would expect from a current-day Mercedes, albeit with a blue insert to let everyone know it’s electric.
The wheels get the same treatment, with a blue stripe running down each of the five spokes that make up the 19-inch electric art light-alloy rims.
A red lightbar adorns the back, running across to act as an integrated taillamp. The rear hatch can be opened either with a kick sensor, or via the cleverly integrated lever masquerading as a badge.
The boot has adequate space for its class, with the rear seats folding in a 40:20:40 configuration.
Moving to the front, you’re first greeted with projected puddle lights and illuminated doorsills. Both the driver side and the passenger side get power-adjust seating with memory function, the controls of which are set in a door card trimmed with Artico leather.
The trim extends to the seats, mixed with Cupertino fabric with a two-tone pattern in rose gold and titanium pearl. The same motif is presented on the dash, alongside rose-gold aircon vents and soft-touch materials.
Two 10.25-inch displays, arranged side by side, form the instrument cluster and the infotainment system. The latter is controlled by a touchpad in the center console, and supports wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Thankfully, however, Mercedes-Benz has stuck with physical buttons for interacting with the climate control.
The EQB offers much of the same experience, but with a roomier interior and the addition of third-row seating for “passengers up to a height of 1.68m.”
The drivetrain is bumped up to a rated output of 140kW with 385Nm. It maintains the same capacity as the EQA at 66.5kWh, giving a WLTP range of 422km to 473km.
The exterior styling largely carries over from the EQA as well, albeit on a slightly bigger platform at 4,684mm long, 1,834mm wide and 1,689mm tall. The 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels are the same, although a limited-edition version is offered with a 20-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheel.
Common across the four models launched are a smattering of USB-C ports. For the EQA, you get one ahead of the center cupholders, two hidden inside the center console, and two more for the rear passengers. The EQB and the EQE are much the same in that department as well.
All four models also charge with a 11kW AC charger via a Type 2 CCS port. The EQA250 and the EQB250 peak at 100kW on a DC charger, while the EQE300 and the EQE350+ AMG Line will charge up to a rate of 170kW.
The added charging rate of the four-door coupe gives a clue to the power it sends straight to the rear wheels.
The EQE300 has a rated output of 180kW with 550Nm, taking it from zero to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds. Powered by an 89kWh battery, the 2,405kg coupe has a WLTP range of 422km to 473km.
AMG-ify that and you get the EQE350+ AMG Line. The output gets bumped to 215kW with 565Nm, further reducing that 0-100km/h time down to 6.4 seconds. The 90.56kWh battery gives it a frankly ridiculous range, with a quoted 644km to 682km.
Curiously, however, this seems to be an AMG upbadged version of the EQE350+ available in other markets, with proper AWD AMG EQEs hitting anywhere from 350kW to a crazy 505kW of rated output.
The EQE350+ AMG Line is a touch lighter at 2,360kg, but both versions will hit a top speed of roughly 210km/h.
The infotainment display on the EQE is bigger, with a 12.8-inch OLED panel. You do get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but climate control functionality is all done onscreen.
A wireless charging pad underneath the center display gives a fully seamless cable-free experience.
The EQE AMG Line gets red seatbelts, AMG-branded floor mats, and sport seats because, well…it’s AMG. But it surprisingly gets the same suite of features as the non-AMG Line EQE.
The interior mood lighting extends from the door cards into the seats and even into the air-conditioning vents, alongside a backlit, minutely cut triple-point star-patterned fascia trim piece.
The LCD instrument cluster is a touch larger at 12.3 inches, with touch controls situated on the Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel. Paddle shifters on either side are there to help control the amount of brake regeneration.
And the exterior is, well, just about as practically elegant as you would expect from a performance-oriented Merc. The smooth body lines of the four-door coupe are headed by a single flat panel taking the place of the radiator grille, again patterned in tiny triple-pointed stars.
The 20-inch five-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels are a slightly more elegant touch, while the EQE350+ AMG Line gets a 20-inch five-spoke alloy rim that’s straight out of a sci-fi film.
The headlights manage to still be even brighter, featuring Mercedes’s digital light and ultra range high-beam tech. The EQE somewhat drops the “blue means electric!” stereotype, opting for a beautiful geometric fiber optic setup for its daytime running lamps.
They couldn’t let the EV gimmicks go entirely, however, with seamless door handles that hide behind the body. While it does give the slipstream a much smoother surface to work with, it also takes some coaxing to get the door handles to pop out and function as, er, door handles.
The Mercedes-Benz EQA250 Electric Art is offered at P3,990,000, while the EQB250 Electric Art is available for P4,190,000. Both models come in a choice of Denim Blue, Iridium Silver, Mountain Gray, Night Black, or Selenite Gray.
The EQE300 Electric Art, on the other hand, is priced at P5,590,000, while the EQE350+ AMG Line is yours for P6,290,000. Both come in Graphite Gray, High-tech Silver, Obsidian Black, Polar White, or Selenite Gray.
While Inchcape Philippines has brought it in the country, other non-Inchcape dealerships will be offering the three EV models as well. Besides roadside assistance and service packages, all of these EVs will be bundled with charging units.
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