Photo: S.Baldauf/SB-Medien
Just two months after the first sighting of the 2023 Mercedes EQE SUV, we get another glimpse of the next electric SUV from the German manufacturer. This time, while the camouflage is almost identical, the scenery has changed.
Mercedes' engineers are testing the prototype in winter conditions, and that means that the electric SUV is put through its paces at freezing temperatures. As you may be aware, cold is not beneficial to electric vehicle batteries, as these need to rely on their thermal management systems to keep temperatures in check.
Mercedes's EQE SUV is expected to have liquid-cooled batteries and a heat pump, and both elements are essential for maximum performance in extreme temperatures and the ability to limit battery degradation.
Passively cooled batteries will struggle to deliver the required power in extreme temperatures, while those with integrated cooling systems will be able to cope with the situation with relative ease.
Even though winter conditions usually mean smaller wheels and tires, the test prototype has the same size alloy wheels as the vehicle that was previously spotted by our spy photographers. Both prototypes do not have visible door handles, which means that the technology behind them is also being tested in winter conditions.
Unlocking your vehicle without using the buttons on the key fob can be convenient, but vehicles that require pressing a button on the door for unlocking bring interesting challenges once snow, ice, or both have covered the area where that button is positioned.
That is the moment when some people, including the author of this story, prefer to do their best and clean the roof, windows, and indicators, but switch to using the buttons on the key fob instead of the sensitive sensors on the doors.
Another aspect that we have noticed here, and hope for a change in the future, is the fact that Mercedes still employs a center-mounted rear window wiper, which has limited use in some cases, while a few other manufacturers, such as Kia and Hyundai, have switched to a concealed rear wiper for some of their SUVs.
The latter brings a more elegant solution when looked at from the outside, is almost invisible from the inside, and can provide a different rear window wiping area, possibly more advantageous in some situations.
Mercedes's EQE SUV is expected to have liquid-cooled batteries and a heat pump, and both elements are essential for maximum performance in extreme temperatures and the ability to limit battery degradation.
Passively cooled batteries will struggle to deliver the required power in extreme temperatures, while those with integrated cooling systems will be able to cope with the situation with relative ease.
Even though winter conditions usually mean smaller wheels and tires, the test prototype has the same size alloy wheels as the vehicle that was previously spotted by our spy photographers. Both prototypes do not have visible door handles, which means that the technology behind them is also being tested in winter conditions.
Unlocking your vehicle without using the buttons on the key fob can be convenient, but vehicles that require pressing a button on the door for unlocking bring interesting challenges once snow, ice, or both have covered the area where that button is positioned.
That is the moment when some people, including the author of this story, prefer to do their best and clean the roof, windows, and indicators, but switch to using the buttons on the key fob instead of the sensitive sensors on the doors.
Another aspect that we have noticed here, and hope for a change in the future, is the fact that Mercedes still employs a center-mounted rear window wiper, which has limited use in some cases, while a few other manufacturers, such as Kia and Hyundai, have switched to a concealed rear wiper for some of their SUVs.
The latter brings a more elegant solution when looked at from the outside, is almost invisible from the inside, and can provide a different rear window wiping area, possibly more advantageous in some situations.
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