Slight premium, less punch at top level but more room and practicality compared to sedans.

SPORTS utility versions of the fully electric Mercedes Benz EQE will match the already-established sedan models in drivetrain choice, but deliver with slightly less grunt in flagship form.

Set to provision as an electric alternate to the fossil fuel-reliant GLE sports utility, the EQE SUV loses some of the signature class-leading aero efficiency that allies with the coupe-roofed four-door as penalty for its increased ride height and larger body size, but optimally promises more than 500 kilometres’ range.

 Each of the three variants has a premium over the corresponding sedan.

In a price announcement today, the make has announced the EQE 300 SUV for $139,900, the EQE 350 4Matic for $149,900 and the flagship AMG EQE 53 4Matic Plus for $199,900. The latter also can outfit with a handling-enhancing Dynamic Plus Pack which costs $7400.

Those stickers mean the entry edition, which is rear-drive, costs $7800 more than the corresponding sedan, while the all-wheel-drives carry a $4900 premium.

The two lines run identical sized batteries - so a 89kWh unit for 300 and 350 and a 90.5kWh pack for the AMG tweaked flagship - but while outputs for the SUV are identical to the sedan in the lowest and mid-spec formats - so 180kW and 550Nm and 215kW and 765Nm - the AMG edition reduces from 505kW in the sedan to 460kW, with torque dropping back from 1000Nm to 950Nm. However, the SUV is said to have the same 0-100kmh in 3.5 seconds credential. The EQE350 SUV does that sprint in 6.3 seconds.

EQE SUV is also set to bump out Mercedes’ first bespoke electric car it offered here, the $142,900 EQC400 4Matic, which has less range. 

In today’s announcement, Mercedes quotes a range of up to 539 kilometres, but cites this has come from the out-dated NEDC measure. 

Previously the parent brand has cited a range of up to 590km, from the more accurate WLTP measure. 

DC charging at up to 170kW is claimed, for a 10 to 80 percent official charge time of "as little as 32 minutes" on a 350kW charger. That expands to six and a half hours on a 22kW home wallbox.

All variants are highly equipped, with the base trim including dual 12-inch screens, leather seats, 21-inch wheels, an AMG Line pack, a Burmester surround sound system, head-up display, panoramic sunroof, and a full suite of advanced safety technology.

Having EQE SUV takes Mercedes’ local full electric selection for this year to eight vehicles, including the sports utility wagon version of the lavishly-trimmed top-tier EQS, which is also soon to land, price yet to be disclosed. NZ sees two all-wheel-drive EQS sedans, the $218,700 EQS450 recently announced to join the $310k AMG53 edition that has been here for a year.

Mercedes has yet to say if another EQC will come, but conceivably it would want to fill in the gap between the EQB and EQE soft-roaders.