Camouflaged prototype photos of an electric Mercedes-Benz E-Class have surfaced for the first time, and the shape underneath the wrap looks nothing like the car it is expected to replace. Where the EQE wears a rounded, cab-forward body that has been criticized since launch for its “jelly-mould” look, the new prototype carries a conventional three-box sedan profile with a longer hood, a repositioned driver’s seat and a boxy trunk lid, according to Drive.com.au.

Key Points

• The electric sedan is targeting a 2027 launch and will replace the EQE after just four years on sale, according to Drive.com.au.
• Mercedes is dropping the standalone EQE nameplate in favor of calling the car an “E-Class with EQ Technology,” the same naming strategy it applied to the recently revealed electric GLC, per Drive.com.au.
• The car rides on Mercedes’ newer 800-volt MB.EA-M platform, a jump from the 400-volt EVA II architecture underneath the current EQE, EQE SUV, EQS and EQS SUV, according to Drive.com.au.
• Testing has reportedly been underway since 2025, and this particular prototype was spotted wearing AMG-style wheels and wider fender flares, fueling speculation about a high-output performance variant, according to autoevolution.
• Early estimates point to a projected range of 450 to 500 miles and a starting price near £65,000 in the UK market, according to Auto Express.

A Return To A Familiar Shape

The EQE’s rounded proportions were built to maximize aerodynamic efficiency, but the silhouette split opinion from the moment the car launched. The new prototype instead borrows rear lighting cues from ribbed taillights used on Mercedes models from the Bruno Sacco design era of the 1970s and 1980s, paired with an illuminated grille matching the styling already on the C-Class and GLC, according to Auto Express. Inside, the sedan is expected to share a 39-inch pillar-to-pillar display with the C-Class and GLC, along with a flatter second-row floor built for more rear headroom, the outlet reports.

New Platform, New Strategy

The shift underneath the body matters as much as the new shape. The 800-volt architecture is expected to bring faster DC charging and multiple motor configurations, mirroring the approach Mercedes already used on the electric GLC, according to Drive.com.au. The EQE SUV is being phased out on a similar early timeline, while the larger EQS sedan and EQS SUV are expected to run their full product cycles before facing replacement, per the same report.

Once it arrives, the new electric E-Class will compete directly against the BMW i5 and Audi A6 e-tron in the premium mid-size electric sedan segment, according to Drive.com.au. Mercedes has not confirmed final specifications, and the heavy camouflage on this prototype means exterior details could still change before the car’s expected reveal.