It’s time to say goodbye to the Mercedes-Benz ‘melting butter’ design of its electric models. Updated styling is coming soon, and it can’t come soon enough. Benz buyers said “No, thank you” to many of the EQ offerings, so Mercedes will change things up by returning to more tried-and-tested stylistic elements and household names. We’ve just gotten a first glimpse of what that means for the upcoming electric E-Class.
Videographers captured a next-generation E-Class EV prototype in full zebra-on-acid camouflage. Yet the traditional design elements still come to the fore: straighter hood lines, a more upright trunk and a noticeably longer dash-to-axle ratio.
The cabin sits further back compared to the neutral jelly-bean look of the outgoing EQ series. Cars with a rear cab almost always read better to the eye – no offense to my Forward Control or conversion van fans.
At the same time, since this is an EV, the overhangs are nice and short. This platform allows designers to push the wheels into the corners. A longer wheelbase not only sharpens the stance, but also improves handling. If you watch the video closely, you will see active rear steering. That follows; the current EQE offers this, and it’s good to see Mercedes keeping this feature for the next generation car too.
Was the Mercedes EQ styling really that bad?
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz Design Boss Gordon Wagener defends but also understands why the EQ does not strike a chord with customers. He describes the look as coming ten years too early, and he also believes it should have been marketed differently. That’s understandable, especially on the top-shelf EQS sedan.
A customer who buys an S-Class has a clear idea of ​​what that car means to him or her, and how it is perceived by others. A half-used bar of soap on wheels is not the same at the valet parking lot. No matter how much the owner tried to explain what a drag coefficient means for a car like this.
Apart from appearance, EQE and EQS don’t drive as you expect, especially the AMG versions. The power is enormous, but Mercedes doesn’t deliver it in the way AMG buyers desire. I pushed an EQE AMG to its limits on a track and was mildly impressed. I spent a week in a traditional S63 and was blown away. I still think about how good that car is: an all-rounder.
The next generation of Mercedes-Benz EVs and PHEVs will be better. They will be born knowing what went wrong with the current EQ family. This early look at the electric E-Class is our first proof.
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