Earlier this week I asked What’s Ailing Tesla’s Stock?. The usual answers — Elon Musk’s distraction(s), and the company’s high valuation – are certainly fair reasons, but I suspect the biggest challenge is competition from legacy car makers.
The latest comes from Mercedes-Benz: The EQE. Aimed squarely at Tesla’s best-selling Model Y, the EQE SUV boasts 367 miles of battery range and starts at ~$68,000. It features MB’s giant 55.5-inch widescreen, and will be manufactured at Mercedes’ plant in Alabama. All EQE models feature fast-DC-charging, which can bring a battery from 10% to 80% in just 32 minutes.
Base model EQE 350+ uses a single rear drive motor making 288 hp and 417 lb-ft. AWD 4Matic is an option and provides variable torque across the four wheels, with the same horsepower but 564 lb-ft of torque. The EQE 500 4Matic trim is 536 hp and 633 lb-ft. and runs 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds.
The AMG version arrives in 2024, boasting 677 HP and a much larger price tag.
The EQE is priced similarly to the Model Y, and is aimed at buyers who want the much higher build quality, materials, and fit & finish Mercedes is known for.
Sources: Bloomberg, Road & Track, MotorTrend
Source: Electrek, Car and Driver
