Weak demand and dwindling profits are reshaping Mercedes’ electric plans. According to the British website Autocar, this will lead to the discontinuation of the EQE sedan and its sibling, the EQE SUV, in 2026—a remarkable decision, as these models were only released in 2022. Instead of the planned facelift, they could be facing the axe. But are they?
The two models were introduced three years ago and ride on the EVA platform. They are built in Bremen, Germany (sedan), and Tuscaloosa, Alabama (SUV).
Sales have definitely been underwhelming. In the U.S., orders for the EQE and EQS have been paused since the beginning of the month to address the slump and cope with the altered course for EV incentives under Trump. In Belgium, the models are heavily discounted, with discounts up to 23% for the EQE Star Edition, for example.
Rather 2027?
Typical Mercedes model cycles run seven to eight years, so the EQE would be bowing out at its mid-life cycle if the rumor is correct. Mercedes’ headquarters has issued no official confirmation or comment. In any case, the deadline of 2026 doesn’t match the targeted production planning, with slots for EQE reserved up to July 2027, according to factory information in Germany.
That timing coincides with the scheduled launch of the upcoming Mercedes E-Class with EQ Technology, planned for 2027. As Mercedes shifts to the new nomenclature—ditching the EQ brand—and its revised strategy of electrifying the legacy range instead of creating differently designed models, that timeline seems plausible.
Full lifecycle for EQS
In any case, the EQE range is leaving showrooms sooner than expected. The big question is how it reflects on the scheduled facelift for next year. Mercedes has planned to refresh the EVA platform with sweeping upgrades, including a switch from a 400-volt to an 800-volt system, silicon-carbide inverters, and the brand’s latest eATS2 electric motors.
These enhancements will be introduced on the larger EQS sedan and SUV, which will complete their lifecycle, but for the brand to make that stretch on the EQE doesn’t make much sense.
However, as Mercedes prepares 21 new models over the next two years, it is not abandoning the medium executive segment for BEVs. The company is in the process of burying its original strategy, which didn’t work out as planned.
