Mercedes launches the electric E-Class a year earlier than planned

The successor to the Mercedes EQE was originally supposed to hit the market in 2028. However, as the model is falling far short of expectations, Mercedes has now decided to bring the market launch forward by a year – which is probably why a change of platform is also on the cards.

Mercedes is apparently bringing forward its model change in the electric luxury segment and wants to launch the successor to the EQE in the second half of 2027 instead of 2028 as originally planned. This is according to the blog JESMB, referring to an announcement by CEO Ola Källenius.

The carmaker had originally planned for the successor to the E-Class-inspired EQE to be based on the upcoming ‘MB-EA.L’ architecture. The L stands for Large. The platform was originally supposed to debut with the electric S-Class, the successor to the EQS. The EQ version of the E-Class would then have been second in line.

Familiar architecture

However, as the modular system is not yet complete, Mercedes has now decided to develop the electric E-Class on the smaller ‘MB.EA-M’ architecture, according to the report. This will debut on September 7 in the run-up to the IAA Mobility motor show. The GLC EQ, the electric counterpart to the popular mid-size SUV from Stuttgart, will be unveiled at the trade fair in Munich. The new electric GLC is scheduled to hit the market in spring 2026, with the electric version of the C-Class set to follow around six months later.

The latter is set to grow considerably. In this context, the upcoming E-Class EQ is also likely to be slightly elongated. The current E-Class with a combustion engine is 4.95 meters long in sedan form, while its electric counterpart is expected to reach the five-meter mark.

The motors are compatible with the ‘MB.EA-M’ platform, which belongs to the ‘eATS2.0 Large’ generation. The rear motors can deliver a maximum output of 250 kW, and in combination with an additional motor on the front axle, a system output of 360 kW is possible.

The battery is separate from the body

It is doubtful that the smaller platform will entail any noticeable disadvantages for customers. In the combustion engine world, the GLC and E-Class also share the same platform, which speaks for the wide range of architectures.

Comeback of the classic Mercedes design

When it comes to appearance, the electric counterpart to the E-Class is returning to old virtues. Mercedes is teasing a “status-oriented business sedan” in the classic three-box design. Even the upright chrome-look radiator grille, which has dominated the brand’s design for decades, is set to return in the EQ versions of the GLC and E-Class.

The EQE is not popular with customers

There is probably one main reason why the market launch of the electric luxury class has been brought forward by a year – and that’s the less than impressive performance of the EQE, the brand’s first fully electric luxury class model. Similar to its big brother, the EQS, the electric counterpart to the E-Class, which was designed for a low drag coefficient, was rejected due to its unusual and emphatically rounded “one-bow design.” This was not only the case in its home market, but especially in the US and China, even though these two countries had been chosen in advance as the most important markets for the series.

The figures there have been more than sobering for the Stuttgart-based company so far. In the United States, the carmaker is pausing production indefinitely as of September 1 – the EQE SUV and its big brother, the EQS, were also affected. Although Mercedes has not given an official reason for the decision, the fact that demand for Mercedes EVs is significantly lower than hoped for is likely to have played a role.

In China, the low point was reached in October 2024: while local competitors sold thousands of electric sedans during the same period, zero registrations were recorded for the EQE throughout the entire month, despite a massive price reduction. Although things picked up again somewhat in the first few months of 2025, Mercedes definitely cannot be satisfied with these figures in the world’s largest car market.

At the same time, competition from the Far East is growing stronger, while BMW’s electric car business is performing significantly better despite supposedly disadvantageous mixed platforms. Mercedes is therefore under pressure, especially in the luxury segment. For this reason, the unpopular EQE is set to receive another model update in 2026, including 800-volt technology, to bridge the approximately 12-month wait for the electric E-Class.

This article was first published by Cora Werwitzke for electrive’s German edition