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Revealed at the IAA auto show in Munich, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE is the electric alternative to the E-class and part of a flood of coming EQ models from the automaker.First out will be the 288-hp EQE350, which has an electric motor on the rear axle. All-wheel-drive, 400-plus-horsepower versions with an added front-axle motor are coming.The official announcement of the EQE’s on-sale date won’t come until mid-2022.Daimler is launching an alternative to the conventionally powered E-class in the form of this EQE. The four-door fastback is to the E-class what the EQS is to the S-class. In fact, its appearance is even more dramatic: the shoulders are stronger, the tail is not as tall as on the EQS, and the front end looks unique. Yet it is based on the same EVA2 platform, and this means it offers many features that set the EQ apart from both electric and non-electric competitors.

Unlike the EQS, the smaller EQE doesn’t feature a rear hatch but a regular trunk opening. We have seen it on the road and the proportions are more interesting than the BMW i4 or the latest Tesla models. The interior is equally futuristic, with light colors and the optional, ultrawide “Hyperscreen” that stretches over the entire width of the cockpit.

Mercedes-Benz

But “Hyperscreen” also hints at a dystopian future: In Europe, passengers can watch movies, but the driver is subject to camera-based monitoring. If the driver dares to look at the passenger screen, the content is blocked. This despite a plethora of assistance systems which don’t pretend to be an “autopilot” yet in some ways, we suspect, exceed the capabilities of Tesla’s features.While the EQE will be available with self-parking assistants, it still keeps the driver in mind: If you prefer to maneuver the car yourself in tight spots, you will appreciate the optional rear-wheel steering systems that will—in the top level—offer up to 10 degrees of steering angle.The high-tech chassis features a four-link front and multi-link rear suspension and an optional air suspension. Built in Germany and in China, the EQE line launches with the EQE350, rated at 288 horsepower from an electric motor on the rear axle. All-wheel drive versions with an additional electric motor on the front axle will follow, and their power rating will exceed 400 horsepower. Look for an AMG version, too.The EQE’s battery pack has a usable capacity of 90.8 kWh, smaller than the EQS’s 107.8-kWh pack. Mercedes claims a driving range of 410 miles on the optimistic European WLTP test cycle, so we can expect its EPA range estimate to be somewhat lower than that.In its competitive set, which includes the Tesla Model 3, the BMW i4, and the Polestar 2, the EQE aims for a higher level of sophistication. Yet we can’t help but wonder if its power rating is quite enough to wow new customers. And, indeed, if it can match the needs of many current Mercedes-Benz customers who are perfectly happy with their gasoline-powered cars.We will find out when the 2023 EQE 350 reaches U.S. dealerships in mid-2022.
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Another in a series of electric-vehicle debuts happening during the IAA auto show in Munich, Germany, is this concept EQS from Mercedes-Maybach.Mercedes calls it a “near-production one-off,” which is good news for those who want their electric crossover to have every luxury.No release date was given, but the automaker said it will come out after the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, which goes into production in 2022. The Mercedes-Maybach EQS is a concept car that makes two distinct points: First, there will be an SUV based on the fully electric EVA2 platform, shared with the EQS and the EQE. Second, Maybach has a great future ahead. In fact, the EQS SUV that is previewed with this concept is light-years ahead of Daimler’s current electric SUV models, the dynamically challenged EQA and the similarly clumsy EQC.

Daimler’s new EQS SUV, which will hit markets next year as a 2023 model, will compete directly with the BMW iX, the Tesla Model X, and other fully electric upmarket SUVs. Unlike its lower-priced siblings, it will only be available with front and rear electric motors, providing both the power and the traction that buyers of the current GLE and GLS models can expect.However, the “around 370 miles of range,” obtained in the European WLTP cycle (which is overly lenient in a way that favors EVs), might be a bit of a disappointment for long-distance travelers, especially those who haul trailers and will see their mediocre range further diminished.But while these considerations may worry regular SUV buyers, they will hardly affect Maybach buyers, who will likely have staff move their necessary belongings well ahead of their leisurely journeys.

Mercedes-Maybach

Accordingly, the Mercedes-Maybach EQS concept and what the automaker is telling us about it both focus on more important things: like the two-tone paint with a chrome strip, 24-inch wheels, and a chrome rear spoiler. The electric powertrain is highlighted by a low front end that allows for somewhat dramatic proportions.Meanwhile, the interior that aims at providing an elevated and opulent traveling experience. We love the “faux fur” carpet of this unique concept. A flower vase “invites seasonal floral decoration,” and there is an integrated cooler for drinks as well. The white and blue materials are complemented by rose gold accents.In other words, the Concept Mercedes-Maybach EQS is nothing less than the fully electric equivalent of the stunningly capable Mercedes-Maybach GLS SUV, which is powered by the awesome 4.0-liter V-8. We look forward to testing it to see how it lives up to this high standard.
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This is the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG, a near-production example of the upcoming G-class EV. It’s a body-on-frame SUV with four electric motors and four-wheel drive.We expect to see a production version within the year, and it’ll join the EQB crossover and EQS and EQE electric sedans in Mercedes-Benz’s EQ lineup. Mercedes-Benz is rapidly adding models to its electric EQ lineup, the most recent being the EQE sedan and high-performance AMG variant of the EQS. Soon, one of Benz’s most iconic models, the G-class off-road SUV popularly known as the G-wagen, will gain an electric EQ counterpart that will look a lot like this EQG concept.

Mercedes-Benz

While most of Mercedes-Benz’s EQ models look funkier than their gasoline-powered counterparts, the Concept EQG retains the G-class SUV’s traditional appearance with its boxy proportions and round headlights. Mercedes says that this truck is a near-production concept. It rides on 22-inch wheels, and on the concept, the spare-tire holder in back features a lockable box that Benz says can store a charging cable.

The concept remains a body-on-frame SUV with an independent front suspension and a solid rear axle. An electric motor powers each wheel, providing four-wheel drive. Currently, the top G-class is the AMG G63, which has a 577-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 under the hood. Mercedes-AMG says it will make high-performance versions of the EQ lineup, as seen by the AMG EQS, so expect to see an AMG EQG, too. The EQG will likely be sold alongside the gas-powered models, as are the other vehicles in the Mercedes EQ lineup. But by the time it reaches the market, there could be competing electric off-roaders available: GMC’s Hummer EV will arrive later this year, Ford could have an electric Bronco on the way, and Jeep says it will offer an EV Wrangler by 2025.
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The signs have been there since the COVID-19 pandemic started, but with more people driving badly and driving habits changing, the number of fatalities in the first quarter of 2021 was the highest since at least 2009.The number of fatalities that happened in the first three months of this year was 1.26 per 100 million miles traveled, up from 1.12 in 2020, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in its latest report.The solutions are things we already know—less distracted and impaired driving, for example—but these messages aren’t breaking through the way they need to to bring the numbers down.The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have changed the automotive habits of U.S. drivers. First we drove less, then we drove faster while apparently paying less attention, and then the number of fatal crashes started to climb. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now released its numbers from the first quarter of 2021, and it turns out American roads got even more dangerous as the pandemic has continued. During the first three months of this year, NHTSA said an estimated 8730 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Since there were 7900 fatalities in the same time period in 2020, that represents an increase of about 10.5 percent.

In late 2020, NHTSA released fatal crash statistic estimates that predicted a 2 percent decline in the actual number of people who have died in motor vehicle traffic crashes between 2019 and 2020. That made sense, since the nation’s driving habits completely changed last year. But when the NHTSA factored in the reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT), the fatality rate actually increased. For every 100 million VMT, there were 1.06 fatalities in 2019 and 1.25 in all of 2020.When NHTSA ran the same VMT calculations, the number of fatalities in 2021 rose to 1.26 fatalities per 100 million VMT, compared to 1.12 for the first quarter of 2020. In both pure numbers and rate per 100 VMT, these are the highest first-quarter fatality rates since at least 2009, according to a NHTSA fact sheet.NHTSA doesn’t just want to report on how much more dangerous the roads are these days; it wants to make them safer. This is why the agency released a new edition of its Countermeasures That Work report alongside the new fatality estimates. This reports identifies the what kinds of actions can reduce road fatalities, and the suggestions should be familiar to most drivers: stopping impaired, distracted, and drowsy driving; keeping bicyclists and motorcyclists safer; and making sure people wear their seatbelts, among other options. This all sounds repetitive, sure, but imagine having to be the agency representative who has to keep telling Americans how to drive safer.

“We must address the tragic loss of life we saw on the roads in 2020 by taking a transformational and collaborative approach to safety,” NHTSA acting administrator Steven Cliff said in a statement. “Everyone—including those who design, operate, build, and use the road system—shares responsibility for road safety. We are working closely with our safety partners to address risky driving behaviors.” It’s important to note that these numbers are just early estimates, which NHTSA puts out regularly. They will be updated with more accurate figures when various agencies submit their numbers to the safety agency later this year, but the trends don’t look good.

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Connected cars are great, until they’re not. A recent Detroit Free Press article shows that vehicle hacks are more common and more dangerous that most people realize.There were at least 150 automotive cybersecurity incidents in 2019, part of a 94 percent year-over-year increase since 2016, according to a report from Upstream Security.Oh, and here’s a phrase we’re loath to see, even though we’re likely to come across it plenty more in the future: ransomware for cars.It is impossible to remotely hack into an unconnected car. But if you’re not driving the latest vehicle from Tautology Motors, your vehicle is likely at risk from some sort of digital intrusion. In fact, almost every car on the road today, if it can connect, can be hacked to some degree.That’s the opinion of Moshe Shlisel, the CEO and cofounder of GuardKnox Cyber Technologies, a company that focuses on protecting vehicles from just these kinds of attacks.”The more sophisticated the system is, the more connected your vehicle is, the more exposed you are,” Shlisel told the Detroit Free Press. “We have taken whatever model [car] you think of and we hack them through various places. I can control your steering, I can shut down and [start] your engine, control your brakes, your doors, your wipers, open and close your trunk.”

Shlisel isn’t the only one trying to predict and prevent hacking threats. Upstream Security put out its annual Global Automotive Cybersecurity Report that lists the top cyber incidents of 2020. These included a hacker gaining control over “Tesla’s entire connected vehicle fleet by exploiting a vulnerability in the OEM’s server-side mechanism” and hackers taking “full control of an OEM’s corporate network by reverse-engineering a vehicle’s [telematics control unit] and using the telematics connection to infiltrate the network.”The Free Press cited Upstream’s report, which said there was a 99 percent increase in cybersecurity incidents (to 150) in 2019 and a 94 percent year-over-year increase since 2016. With more communication methods being built into new vehicles, including massive over-the-air update technologies, this trend is unlikely to reverse any time soon.Ransomware for Cars Is ComingAll of these attacks mean automakers have to take a proactive stance in this fight. Part of the automakers’ defense strategy is to ask “white hat” ethical hackers to show them where the cars are vulnerable in exchange for monetary rewards or, in some cases, jobs. The famous hacker duo who took control of a Jeep Cherokee back in 2015 now work for Cruise, the autonomous-vehicle subsidiary of General Motors. Michael Dick, CEO of C2A Security, an Israel-based automotive cybersecurity company, told the Free Press he expects the current trend of hackers holding digital data on computers for ransom to move to cars at some point. When this happens, driver will not be able to start their vehicle until they pay off the hacker or suffer the consequences. “There’s no way around it,” he said. “You’ll have to get it towed and get all new software to start it.”For some transportation companies, ransomware attacks have already happened. Upstream Security’s report mentions a ransomware attack on the Australian transportation company Toll Group, which affected 1000 servers and 40,000 employees. And Honda was forced to stop production in June 2020 due to ransomware attacks on plants in Europe and Japan.Upstream Security recommends three ways automakers can build secure vehicles, and they’re all complicated. First, security has to be part of the design of every component. Second, there needs to be a multi-layered cybersecurity solution that involves in-vehicle, IT network, and cloud security defenses. Third, automakers need to develop vehicle security operations centers “to monitor, detect, and quickly respond to cyber incidents to protect vehicles, services, fleets, and road users.” How well the auto industry builds up these defenses will define how much drivers love their connected cars as the risks are better understood.
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Toyota started this year’s Tokyo Olympics on the wrong foot, when anger from Japanese citizens that the games were going forward amid the pandemic led the carmaker and Olympic partner to suspend its planned Olympics-related advertising in Japan. And now there’s a bookend stumble for the end of Toyota’s games: an autonomous shuttle operating in the Olympic Village during the Paralympic games collided with and injured a visually impaired athlete last week. Toyota briefly paused the shuttle rides, but then restarted them with extra safety workers on hand to prevent repeat incidents. This Week in SheetmetalAudi showed an elongated, nearly teardrop-shaped electric sedan concept, also designed to showcase the possibilities of future autonomous driving technologies. The car, called the Grandsphere, would have 711 horsepower from two electric motors, a retractable steering wheel, and a potted plant sprouting out of the back of the center console.[image id=’c5567094-68b7-478f-a3ad-446c92ad5292′ mediaId=’0b3332cd-abd8-4a15-8b2b-a2587f6d8e1f’ align=’right’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Winnebago has designed a wheelchair-accessible RV based on a Ram ProMaster van. The RV, called Roam, is smaller than previous accessible RVs the company has built and can have a power-operated sofa bed, wheelchair tie-downs, grab handles in the shower, and an under-vehicle wheelchair lift. Mercedes has provided more information on the next AMG GT63, scheduled to be the first plug-in hybrid from Mercedes’ performance sub-brand. The 2023 GT63 will have a combined 831 hp from a 4.0-liter V-8 and an electric motor on the rear axle. 2023 will mark the return of the Mercedes V-8 to the U.S. market. The company dropped eight-cylinder engines from almost all of its U.S. lineup for 2022 due to supply chain constraints. Subaru shared some new (miniature, upside-down) teaser photos of its forthcoming inaugural EV, the Solterra. The car will come with standard all-wheel drive, as is appropriate for a Subaru, and will share its platform with the Toyota bZ4X. We expect it to go on sale next year.[image id=’8d371da3-d246-4dfb-b51d-e45cf1c9c94a’ mediaId=’0c645f4c-49c8-4f42-862e-005232614c4f’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’false’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Microchip Shortage, StillSeveral automakers adjusted their third-quarter sales projections downward this week, as the ongoing microchip shortage limits production below demand. Ford said its August sales were down 33 percent due to the chip shortage. Mercedes said its third-quarter results would be “noticeably below” second-quarter sales. Volvo said its sales were down 10.6 percent compared to last August, and said it expecte slow sales through the second half of the year. General Motors announced more plant shutdowns, and a Bloomberg report said Tesla had to idle its plants in China for several days last month because of the chip shortage. Meanwhile, Hyundai is looking for its own way through the storm. The company says it has developed its own microchip for use in a vehicle that will launch in the second quarter of next year, perhaps the Ioniq 6 EV. Hyundai will use local (to Korea) suppliers to manufacture the chip and hopes this strategy will reduce competition and uncertainty related to microchip sourcing. Wear Your Seatbelt[editoriallinks id=’0e020265-3007-4f1b-8278-18b39d041711′ align=’left’][/editoriallinks]The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports a 10.5 percent increase in traffic deaths in the first three months of 2021 compared to the first three months of 2020, despite a 2.1 percent decrease in the number of vehicle miles travelled compared to last year. NHTSA attributes the increase in fatalities to a rise in risky behaviors such as speeding, impaired driving, and not wearing seatbelts. Traffic-related deaths were up 7.2 percent to 38,680 in the U.S. overall in 2020, even though Americans drove 13 percent fewer miles than in 2019. NHTSA blamed that increase on risky behavior by drivers enjoying empty roads during lockdowns, or drivers who thought police would not stop and ticket them during the height of the pandemic. A representative for the self-driving coalition said the NHTSA report was evidence of the urgent need for self-driving cars, which “do not speed, become impaired, or get distracted,” but since truly autonomous driving technology doesn’t exist yet, we’ll stick with more old-fashioned advice: wear your seatbelt, and always remember that cars can kill you.Further ReadingRemember when North Carolinians raised a stink about an increasingly popular car modification dubbed the Carolina Squat? Well, now the Squat is illegal (more or less). Read in the New York Times about the various, sometimes destructive, strategies companies are taking to extract lithium, a crucial element in electric-vehicle manufacturing, from the earth.Or read about the unlikely second life of a 1970 AMC AMX in the Wall Street Journal.

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Associate news editor Caleb Miller is new to the Car and Driver family, so when his 2000 Mercedes-Benz S430’s Airmatic suspension unceremoniously collapsed, he thought it’d be a good idea to ask the Window Shop crew to help him find a replacement. Miller set a $7000 budget and asked that we consider something fun and reliable. In the interest of saving the manuals, something with a clutch pedal would be nice, too. After the team stopped trying to convince Miller to just drive the S-class and tell people it’s stanced, we showed him what we found on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace in his price range. It turns out many of us have perverted definitions of fun and reliable.Senior editor Elana Scherr selects a very long and low-mileage Lincoln Town Car with Ford’s 4.6-liter SOHC V-8. We remark on the Modular V-8 and get pulled into the opera window on the C-pillar, and we argue about whether or not the Town Car got BBS wheels. Miller doesn’t seem impressed, so we let contributor Jonathon Ramsey take over. Ramsey finds a 2006 Jaguar XJ8 L that has enough leather and wood to comfort anyone coming off an S-class. The reliability of the retro-styled all-aluminum Jaguar comes into question, but then we get distracted by deputy testing director K.C. Colwell’s lesson on the leaper and the growler. Colwell takes over the screen after Ramsey and shows us that he took the challenge seriously when he shares his 1999 BMW 528i manual with the sport package. The turbine-style 32 wheels are from a 540i with the sport package, the car looks clean, and the E39 5-series brings up a lot of fond memories like Road & Track editor John Pearley Huffman’s story of a close friend whose E39 caught fire in a driveway.Pearley’s choice won’t surprise any regular viewers. The 2002 Toyota Tundra promises years of trouble-free service. The group can’t deny its reputation for reliability or the appeal of the five-speed manual, but the bare-bones regular-cab truck lacks S-class luxuries, like carpet. Finally, deputy editor Tony Quiroga takes over and shows off a cream-colored 1978 Lincoln Continental that no one appreciates, especially Miller. As usual, the episode jumps the rails and the discussion goes off subject. Watch until the end to watch some ’70s classics diving their way through panic stops.

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Audi has unveiled the dramatically-styled Grandsphere concept, which showcases the brand’s future design direction.The Grandsphere concept is an electric sedan that also features a vision for future autonomous driving technology.A lounge-like interior features a retractable steering column and a massive infotainment setup that is projected onto a flat dashboard.The future of Audi’s design and engineering is previewed by this elegant Grandsphere concept sedan. The second in a trio of concepts to debut in short order, the Grandsphere shares styling elements with the sportier Skysphere coupe, but integrates a more spacious, four-door layout and a host of interesting tech. A third concept called Urbansphere will debut next year.
Two electric motors generate 711 horsepower combined and up to 686 pound-feet of torque, allowing the Grandsphere to reach 62 mph in a claimed 4.0 seconds, according to Audi. The company also claims a driving range as long as 466 miles on the WLTP cycle and fast-charging via a 270-kW onboard charger, borrowed from the e-tron GT that’s on sale today.

While the exterior design is certainly dramatic and attractive, the interior is where the concept showcases its most futuristic elements. Facing the driver and front passenger is a large, flat dashboard that’s devoid of buttons and lacks the traditional touchscreen display. Instead, the car’s infotainment is projected onto the dashboard, and a camera tracks the driver’s eyes and flicks through menus and selections based on eye movement. Each of the car’s four doors features physical buttons for the climate-control system, but those can also be adjusted based on hand gestures.
Autonomous driving is the Grandsphere concept’s biggest flex, though, and in autonomous mode, there’s no steering wheel in sight. For instances when autonomous driving is not available—such as when exiting a highway into city traffic—a steering wheel and gauge cluster deploy from behind the flat dashboard so the driver can take control.The luxury quotient is high as well, with several high-end touches painting the Grandsphere concept as an upscale executive cruiser. The center console between the two front seats can be electrically deployed forward toward the dashboard to provide more storage space ,and it also includes a cold water dispenser. Other posh touches include an air filtration and aroma diffuser system, wool upholstery, and hornbeam wood trim. To make it feel even more like a rolling living room, Audi even made room for a little potted plant between the two front seats.
At this point in time, the Grandsphere is merely a concept, but Audi claims to be working on a production version and is targeting a launch sometime in the middle of this decade. That seems like a short time frame to bring Level 4 autonomy to the motoring public but some form of self-driving tech is sure to be included when the production version of the Grandsphere launches.
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