NEW MERC E-CLASS BREAKS COVER AS SALOON-ONLY EV

Seventh-generation executive stalwart to get 500-mile range

- GREG KABLE

Mercedes-Benz has begun testing the seventh-generation E-Class, a car that will arrive in the UK in 2027 as a replacement for today's EQE - and it will have an electric range of around 500 miles.

It will be sold alongside an updated version of the current sixth-gen E-Class as part of Mercedes' split lineup approach that began with the September reveal of the GLC EQ.

The new E-Class will, in technical terms, be completely unrelated from today's car, but the pair will share the same name and key styling elements in an effort to bring more parity between the two powertrains and, therefore, increase electric sales.

This strategy will allow Mercedes to drop the EQE saloon. Since the model was launched in 2022, it has been perceived as too distinct and lacking the everyday practicality of its traditional sibling.