Mercedes Boss Talks Electric E-Class, Developed From A 'White Sheet Of Paper'

Mercedes is killing the EQE sedan in the United States for the 2027 model year, signaling that the end is nigh for the controversially styled EV. However, the lineup won't have much of a void, as the three-pointed-star company is putting the finishing touches on its direct replacement: the first electric E-Class.

CEO Ola Källenius discussed the upcoming model during the company's Q3 2026 earnings call, revealing that Mercedes has taken a clean-sheet approach to developing its new electric luxury sedan. Although it will share the E-Class name with the combustion-engine model, the new EV will use a dedicated battery-electric platform, with the automaker promising improvements across several key areas.

“We will, of course, invite you to the world premiere of the new E-Class, which will happen next year,” Källenius told analysts. He added that Mercedes began developing the car around three years ago using what he described as “more or less a white sheet of paper.”

The EQE's Aero-Driven Shape Is Gone

Before the wraps come off in 2027, prototypes are undergoing final testing to iron out any potential kinks. Even though the car is still fully cloaked in camouflage, its styling and shape have virtually nothing in common with the outgoing EQE. Instead, it adopts a traditional sedan shape. And while Mercedes stubbornly insists on putting its logo in the headlights, at least it's gone from the taillights. Well, assuming these are the final light clusters.

The electric E-Class is expected to share much of its design with the facelifted combustion-powered E-Class, which is also due next year. Mercedes is therefore taking another step toward merging its ICE and EV lineups through a unified design language and shared nameplates. Models such as the CLA, GLA, GLB, GLC, and C-Class already follow this approach.

During the earnings call, Källenius also discussed the China-specific version, which will be made almost entirely with locally sourced parts:

'You will see a dedicated battery electric vehicle that in all its features, technology, styling, space, but also the traditional values of Mercedes that are more important than ever, I have to say, especially in China, safety, quality, the ride and drive, those things that make Mercedes-Benz a Mercedes-Benz. Every one of these things have been taken into account in designing that vehicle.

“We will source almost everything in China for our Chinese production. The first vehicle that is under this new strategy is the electric E-Class that we will launch in the second half of 2027, and then continue like that beyond 2027.'

Mercedes E-Class Electric rendering by Motor1

Photo by: Motor1.com

An AMG E-Class Electric Is Coming, But What About A Wagon?

Looking ahead, it's already pretty much an open secret that AMG is working on a hotter version of the electric E-Class. Mercedes hasn't officially announced it yet, but a high-performance derivative would make sense to challenge the BMW i5 M60 and Audi S6 e-tron.

Hopefully, Mercedes also has a wagon in the works, although it has already ruled out an electric C-Class Estate to rival the upcoming BMW i3 Touring. Designer Robert Lesnik said, "nobody is buying them," referring to electric wagons. For now, the CLA Shooting Brake remains the only long-roof EV in Mercedes' lineup.

More From Mercedes:

This New Mercedes Gas Engine Has An Electric Turbo, And It's Not For AMGs

Mercedes-AMG Is Developing A New C63, And There Could Be Two Models

Mercedes Admits It Underestimated The V8 Crowd, Teases A V12 Surprise

Mercedes Boss Felt Like A 'Born-Again Christian' After Driving Electric AMG

Mercedes Has A Plan To Stay Competitive

On the broader portfolio, Källenius promised “bold and exciting decisions” across technology, products, and how Mercedes operates. The company plans to provide a more comprehensive update next year, potentially offering a clearer picture of how it intends to position itself for the next decade. One major change is already underway: Mercedes recently announced plans to use artificial intelligence to speed up product development by as much as 30 percent.

The move is part of a wider effort to make the company more agile and shorten the time it takes to bring new vehicles to market. With the automotive industry changing rapidly, Mercedes, like nearly every other legacy automaker, clearly believes it needs to move faster to remain competitive.