Driving the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQE300 SUV today – a luxury SUV at
$134,900 drive-away. Utilising a 180kW/550Nm electric motor, rear mounted,
driving the rear wheels powered by an 89 kWh battery providing a claimed 539km.
Energy consumption is rated at 18.9kWh per 100km however over my week drive I
average around the 20kWh mark which lowered my total distance available to just
under 500km. With a large battery pack the Mercedes-Benz EQE300 is no
lightweight, a tare weight of 2546 kgs and with somewhat stiff 40-series run flat
tyres on 21-inch alloy rims it can ride hard on a rough surface – better on a
smooth road but ride quality on our generally poor road surfaces is not a high
point. As with most electric vehicles drive smoothness and performance is very
re-assuring, effortless with nice torque, 0 to 100km in 7.3 seconds, and you arrive
feeling relaxed even on a demanding drive. Seat comfort is about as good as it
gets in a cabin that’s high class with a large and impressive central touchscreen.
Great active and passive safety, Mercedes-Benz active safety elements well
sorted and not over-intrusive. Warranty: five-years/unlimited kilometre, battery
warranty: 10years/250,000km, service costs $2240 over three years. I’m David
Berthon

Driving the all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQE300 SUV today – a luxury SUV at $134,900 drive-away. Utilising a 180kW/550Nm electric motor, rear mounted, driving the rear wheels powered by an 89 kWh battery providing a claimed 539km. Energy consumption is rated at 18.9kWh per 100km however over my week drive I average around the 20kWh mark which lowered my total distance available to just under 500km. With a large battery pack the Mercedes-Benz EQE300 is no lightweight, a tare weight of 2546 kgs and with somewhat stiff 40-series run flat tyres on 21-inch alloy rims it can ride hard on a rough surface – better on a smooth road but ride quality on our generally poor road surfaces is not a high point. As with most electric vehicles drive smoothness and performance is very re-assuring, effortless with nice torque, 0 to 100km in 7.3 seconds, and you arrive feeling relaxed even on a demanding drive. Seat comfort is about as good as it gets in a cabin that’s high class with a large and impressive central touchscreen. Great active and passive safety, Mercedes-Benz active safety elements well sorted and not over-intrusive. Warranty: five-years/unlimited kilometre, battery warranty: 10years/250,000km, service costs $2240 over three years. I’m David Berthon

A weekly show with all the latest information and news in the motoring industry. Hosted by 2GB's very own motoring corespondent David Berthon. 

For more engaging content visit the 2GB website, or listen live to 2GB 873.

A weekly show with all the latest information and news in the motoring industry. Hosted by 2GB's very own motoring corespondent David Berthon.&nbsp;
For more engaging content visit the 2GB website, or listen live to 2GB 873.

Motor Torque with David Berthon

A weekly show with all the latest information and news in the motoring industry. Hosted by 2GB's very own motoring corespondent David Berthon. 

For more engaging content visit the 2GB website, or listen live to 2GB 873 

A weekly show with all the latest information and news in the motoring industry. Hosted by 2GB's very own motoring corespondent David Berthon.&nbsp;
For more engaging content visit the 2GB website, or listen live to 2GB 873&nbsp;

Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 SUV - Nice luxury SUV but can ride hard on a rough surface

As the saying goes when the going get tough the tough get going and that’s
much the case with the car market at present. Take the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
for example This rugged work horse 4 x 4 pickup with a go anywhere ability is
normally close to $98,000 on road. However, with sales slowing by 63 per cent in
the first half of the year to just 169, compared to the same time last year, they’re
now available from just $70,000 drive-away – a saving of nearly $28,000. These
rugged Jeeps, named after the grueling Rubicon trail in California, feature a 3.6-
litre V6 engine, 8-speed automatic, front and rear locking differentials and Rock-
Trac on-demand 4WD yet feature such comfort niceties as leather trim, heated
front seats and a heated steering wheel. The lesser specified Jeep Gladiator Night
Eagle also now $64,000 drive-away. I’m David Berthon

As the saying goes when the going get tough the tough get going and that’s much the case with the car market at present. Take the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon for example This rugged work horse 4 x 4 pickup with a go anywhere ability is normally close to $98,000 on road. However, with sales slowing by 63 per cent in the first half of the year to just 169, compared to the same time last year, they’re now available from just $70,000 drive-away – a saving of nearly $28,000. These rugged Jeeps, named after the grueling Rubicon trail in California, feature a 3.6- litre V6 engine, 8-speed automatic, front and rear locking differentials and Rock- Trac on-demand 4WD yet feature such comfort niceties as leather trim, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The lesser specified Jeep Gladiator Night Eagle also now $64,000 drive-away. I’m David Berthon

Big discounts emerge as the new vehicle market softens

In a move designed to bolster Republican voters in Michigan and other car
manufacturing U.S. states Donald Trump has pledged to prevent complete
obliteration of the nation’s auto industry by scrapping electric vehicle mandates
and pushing domestic production. The Republican Presidential nominee
speaking at the recent Republican National Convention said he would save U.S.
customers thousands and thousands of dollar per car by ending the electric
vehicle mandate on day one and redirect funding to United States manufacturing.
The former U.S. President attacked Chinese electric cars after suggesting they’re
part of meaningless new scam ideas he’d squash if he wins a second term. The
Biden Administration recently quadrupled the tariff on Chinese built cars to 100
per cent, targeting 50 percent of all new car sales in the U.S. to be electric by
2030. I’m David Berthon

In a move designed to bolster Republican voters in Michigan and other car manufacturing U.S. states Donald Trump has pledged to prevent complete obliteration of the nation’s auto industry by scrapping electric vehicle mandates and pushing domestic production. The Republican Presidential nominee speaking at the recent Republican National Convention said he would save U.S. customers thousands and thousands of dollar per car by ending the electric vehicle mandate on day one and redirect funding to United States manufacturing. The former U.S. President attacked Chinese electric cars after suggesting they’re part of meaningless new scam ideas he’d squash if he wins a second term. The Biden Administration recently quadrupled the tariff on Chinese built cars to 100 per cent, targeting 50 percent of all new car sales in the U.S. to be electric by 2030. I’m David Berthon

Donald Trump threatens to scrap electric vehicle mandates and redirect funding to domestic manufacturing.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV comes in three 3.6-litre V6 petrol grades and in
the 2.0-litre turbo petrol Summit Reserve 4Xe I’m driving today with the added
benefit of a plug-in hybrid system with dual electric motors providing 52 kms of
pure electric range. A powerful and torquey luxury five-seater the Grand
Cherokee Summit Reserve is the nicest Jeep I’ve driven – to qualify that
statement it offers a sumptuous and highly comfortable driving adventure with a
superb adaptive air suspension with Jeep’s proven Quadra-Trac 11 four-wheel
drive system offering a high degree of competency on and off-road. The five-seat
interior not only looks impressive with a great mix and leather and fake wood but
is supremely comfortable for five adults. The pure electric range of 52 kms is
however underdone – not enough distance for most daily commutes but it does
only take just over two hours to charge. Three drive modes, hybrid combining
petrol and electric power, pure electric, or pure petrol E-Save, which can also
charge the battery up to 80 percent - in this mode I averaged 8L/100 on 91 grade
petrol. Its $129,950 price tag stamps the Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve as
luxury supported with a five-year, 100,000km. warranty, battery warranty 8
years/160,000km. I’m David Berthon

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV comes in three 3.6-litre V6 petrol grades and in the 2.0-litre turbo petrol Summit Reserve 4Xe I’m driving today with the added benefit of a plug-in hybrid system with dual electric motors providing 52 kms of pure electric range. A powerful and torquey luxury five-seater the Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve is the nicest Jeep I’ve driven – to qualify that statement it offers a sumptuous and highly comfortable driving adventure with a superb adaptive air suspension with Jeep’s proven Quadra-Trac 11 four-wheel drive system offering a high degree of competency on and off-road. The five-seat interior not only looks impressive with a great mix and leather and fake wood but is supremely comfortable for five adults. The pure electric range of 52 kms is however underdone – not enough distance for most daily commutes but it does only take just over two hours to charge. Three drive modes, hybrid combining petrol and electric power, pure electric, or pure petrol E-Save, which can also charge the battery up to 80 percent - in this mode I averaged 8L/100 on 91 grade petrol. Its $129,950 price tag stamps the Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve as luxury supported with a five-year, 100,000km. warranty, battery warranty 8 years/160,000km. I’m David Berthon

Mercedes-Benz EQE 300 SUV - Nice luxury SUV but can ride hard on a rough surface

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