This September at the 2021 Munich Motor Show’s IAA Mobility conference, Mercedes-Benz and its related brands will be showing off eight new models, five of which are battery electric and one is a plug-in hybrid. This is in addition to the brand’s already-unveiled electric EQV, EQS, EQA, EQB, and EQC models and further teased EQXX and EQT future models. As various countries and municipalities continue pushing automakers into the electric future, Mercedes-Benz has chosen to act immediately rather than wait for the last possible minute.
The most important car to Mercedes’ future electric plans is surely the mid-sized EQE battery electric sedan. Falling underneath the S-class sized EQS, the EQE will be, well, E-class sized. As one of Merc’s big unit movers, converting the world’s fleet of E-classes to electric EQEs will be the crux of the future of electric for the German automaker. Based on these teaser images, the EQE will feature many of the outstanding visuals that the EQS already revealed, including the totally cool wrapped ribbon three-dimensional tail lights, and the aerodynamic tapered teardrop-shape roofline.
Inside the EQE also looks pretty similar to the EQS, with a wide “MBUX Hyperscreen” dash taking up most of your view. There are haptic touch buttons and slick touchscreens everywhere, meaning we are preparing for a driving future packed with fingerprint-riddled interiors. This looks really cool when it’s brand new, but after even just a week of punching at the dash with your greasy fingers will make the interior look… less good.
The EQE is likely to share its all-wheel drive dual-motor powertrain with the similarly-sized EQC battery electric SUV. That means 402 horsepower and 254 kg-ft of torque or thereabouts. It’s likely that the EQE will continue to develop more powertrain options, including a rear-drive single-motor variant in the future.
Mercedes mentioned that the first battery-electric AMG model will also bow in Munich. There isn’t any information about this particular car, so let’s speculate a bit. While I’m betting this will be a high-power version of the already unveiled EQS with Tesla Model S Plaid-matching power levels, it’s possible that it will also be an EQE AMG with horsepower in the mid-600s.
Mercedes-Maybach will be dropping a new “concept” extreme luxury electric, which is very exciting news for the cretinous billionaire class. It’s tough to say exactly what this car will be, but it’s likely to be built on an existing platform. Maybe this is a long-wheelbase version of the EQS? Maybe Mercedes found a way to shove batteries and electric motors into the G-class and cut the roof off? Most likely this will be the ultra-lux version of the EQS SUV full size that has been tapped for a reveal soon. We’ll have to wait until September for this one to know for sure.
So if that’s speculation, what do we know? Mercedes will be bringing the EQB electric crossover to the show. While it has already made its debut in China, the car is receiving its “European Debut”. This one is going to be another big seller for Merc, as it delivers a seven-seat compact crossover to the market that is desperate for more of these uninspired blobs. The EQB will officially launch in the U.S. market next year.
Speaking of compact SUVs, the new Smart electric SUV will also be making its debut in Germany.
Mercedes-AMG will also be debuting its first performance hybrid model, which is likely to be the long-rumoured AMG GT Sedan 73e. Built around the existing 4-litre twin-turbo V8 AMG GT sedan, the hybrid-ified model is rumoured to carry a rear-axle-mounted electric assist motor to push power over 800 horses in a direct assault on Porsche’s Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid super sedan. That same powertrain is likely to land in the current S-class as well, so it’s possible that both AMG hybrids will launch at the same time.
Alright, so that’s six of the eight. What else does Mercedes have up its sleeve? Boring stuff that nobody cares about. There is a new S-class GUARD bulletproof model, and a new C-class All-Terrain lifted wagon making their official debuts. See? Who cares?
Anyway, it all goes down on September 7th, so keep an eye locked right here for more information as it becomes available.