The Mercedes EQE has been a failure, but the brand will launch its replacement in 2027: the electric Class E arrives.

Mercedes-Benz is entering a new era. Following the failures of models like the EQE and EQS, the brand’s new electric vehicles are adopting designs and naming conventions similar to those of their conventional counterparts. The recent electric CLA, Class C, and GLC models are evidence of this shift, and judging by their strong commercial performance, it has been a wise move.

While the EQS will still remain as the flagship electric model in the lineup for a few years, the EQE will soon be phased out. Its curved design never fully convinced customers, which is why it will be replaced by a more conventional-looking Class E, as it will be a classic three-box sedan.

Ola Källenius, the company’s CEO, provided further details about this model during the 2026 third-quarter results presentation. The executive confirmed that the unveiling will take place next year, noting that it is a vehicle whose development began three years ago almost from scratch. Despite its name, it will not share a platform with the conventional Class E.

The conventional Class E will receive a restyling in 2027 to make its appearance more similar to that of the electric version. However, its proportions will not be exactly the same. Källenius also mentioned that there will be a specific version for China, which will be manufactured almost entirely with locally sourced parts.

The electric Mercedes-Benz Class E will be based on the MB.EA platform

The main competitors to the electric Mercedes-Benz Class E will be the Audi A6 e-tron and BMW i5; however, unlike these latter models, our subject vehicle will not come in a family Estate version. Thus, the brand’s only electric station wagon will remain the CLA Shooting Brake, which is two categories below the Class E.

It is expected that the EQE SUV will eventually also be replaced by an electric GLE, which is likely to share many similarities with the Class E. Both will be built on the same platform: MB.EA, which also underpins the Class C and GLC models. This is an architecture developed specifically for battery-powered electric vehicles (in contrast, the MMA used in the CLA, GLA, and GLB is multi-energy).

The MB.EA features an 800-volt architecture compatible with ultra-fast charging. It is likely that the Class E will also have a high-performance variant developed by AMG, which is expected to come equipped with an advanced propulsion system consisting of three axial-flow electric motors (one on the front axle and two on the rear).

Source | Motor1