Last year, we compared the upstart Genesis G80 against one of the benchmark mid-size luxury sedans, the Mercedes-Benz E-class. Now there are electric versions of both, and it’s a very different contest between the new 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE and the Genesis Electrified G80. While the E-class has been around for decades, Mercedes just recently launched its EQ electric subbrand, and the EQE is among the first models to reach the U.S. This time around, Mercedes is just about as new to this as Genesis is.
The two companies have taken different approaches for their EVs. While the Electrified G80 is merely a standard G80 sedan with a battery pack and electric motors instead of a gasoline engine, the EQE is entirely distinct from the gasoline-powered E-class. It has an aerodynamically optimized body, purpose-built EV underpinnings, and a far more futuristic interior than both its gasoline stablemate and the G80.
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
The Electrified G80 only comes one way, with a dual-motor powertrain that produces 365 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. The EQE offers a broader lineup ranging from a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive base model up to a 617-hp AMG performance variant. For this test, we sampled the mid-level EQE350 4Matic, which has all-wheel drive courtesy of front and rear electric motors that combine to produce 288 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque.
Although the G80 is significantly larger than the standard E-class, the EQE is much closer in size to the Genesis owing to its longer wheelbase. As is becoming typical of today’s EVs, both pound the pavement with heavy curb weights. The Genesis tipped the scales at 5047 pounds, while the Mercedes is even porkier at 5488 pounds. Meanwhile, the two cars in our equivalent gasoline comparison both weighed in at around 4300 pounds.
You might think that all this extra weight would hamper performance for this electric pair, and in many ways it does. But the Mercedes suffers more than the Genesis. It’s the slower of the two in every acceleration metric, getting to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds to the G80’s quick 4.1-second sprint. The Mercedes trails by more than a second in the quarter-mile too, and its responses to prods of the go pedal are far less immediate than the G80’s.
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
Genesis Electrified G80
Highs: Strong performance, good real-world range, plush interior.
Lows: Doesn’t boast about being an EV, not available in every state.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Highs: Comfortable ride, quiet cabin, lots of technology features.
Lows: Acceleration could be quicker, awkward styling, too many screens.
On the road, the G80 is a far more tactile machine. The EQE’s steering is aloof, its brake pedal wooden (not that you’ll be using these cars’ brake pedals all that often, as both offer varying levels of regeneration that enable one-pedal driving in their highest settings). But the Genesis provides some feedback through its controls, making for a more engaging experience for the driver.
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
This tactility carries over into the interior, where the G80 features numerous buttons, knurled knobs, and materials that are pleasant to the touch. We much prefer this approach to the Mercedes cabin, which is nearly devoid of physical controls altogether. Although our car wasn’t equipped with the massive hyperscreen option that takes over the dashboard, even the base setup has most of its controls contained within the 12.8-inch central touchscreen. The controls on the steering wheel are also touch-sensitive and frustrating to use.
At least the EQE displayed the good build quality we expect of Mercedes. And its rear seat is airy and spacious. You sit higher in the Mercedes compared with the lower-slung Genesis, but both cars are comfortable for front and rear occupants alike.
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
While the G80’s styling does not advertise its electrified nature, we much prefer its conventional proportions over the EQE’s blob-like shape. Apart from the three-pointed star badges, the Mercedes looks like some sort of generic car illustration displayed in a scientific presentation about transportation in the future. Although, to be fair, there is real science at work here, as it has an impressively low drag coefficient nearing 0.20.
This aerodynamic emphasis is meant to help the EQE’s driving range. Although it hasn’t received an official EPA rating yet, the Mercedes has a slightly larger battery pack than the Genesis does, at 90.6 kWh to the G80’s 87.2-kWh pack. But the G80 still won out in the real world, as it achieved a real-world result of 280 miles in our highway test against the EQE’s 260 miles.
As has been the case with all Genesis products since its inception, price is the biggest differentiator between the G80 and its competitors. Coming only as a loaded model with few available options, the Electrified G80 we tested stickers for $81,495, including a $575 option for the Hallasan green paint you see here. That’s just above the EQE350 4Matic’s base price of $78,950, but as is the German way, the options can take that figure far higher. With extras including $1300 rear-wheel steering, $2990 for brown nappa leather, and $1250 for a driver-assistance package, our test car pushed the sticker to $93,240.
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
Given the G80’s clear advantage in terms of performance, driving feel, design, and value, it’s the clear winner here. In fact, the gap between these two electric cars is far greater than it was between the equivalent gasoline models. Genesis’s electric future is looking bright, while Mercedes needs to go back to the drawing board if it wants to maintain its status in the dawning luxury-EV era.
Specifications
Specifications
2023 Genesis Electrified G80
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE Base/As Tested: $80,920/$81,495
Options: Hallasan Metallic paint, $575
POWERTRAINFront Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACRear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACCombined Power: 365 hpCombined Torque: 516 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 87.2 kWhOnboard Charger: 10.9 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive
CHASSISSuspension, F/R: multilink/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 14.2-in vented disc/14.2-in vented discTires: Michelin Primacy Tour A/SF: 245/45R-19 102W M+S GOE
R: 275/40R-19 105W M+S GOE
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 118.5 inLength: 197.0 inWidth: 75.8 inHeight: 57.9 in
Passenger Volume: 100 ft3
Trunk Volume: 11 ft3
Curb Weight: 5047 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS60 mph: 4.1 sec100 mph: 11.3 sec1/4-Mile: 12.8 sec @ 106 mph130 mph: 22.5 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.1 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.8 secTop Speed (C/D est): 150 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 184 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 376 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.90 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMYObserved: 95 MPGe75-mph Highway Range: 280 miAverage DC Fast-Charge Rate, 10–90%: 135 kW
DC Fast-Charge Time, 10–90%: 32 min
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)Combined/City/Highway: 100/110/90 MPGeRange: 290 mi
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2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE350 4Matic
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICEBase/As Tested: $78,950/$93,240
Options: Pinnacle Trim package (head-up display, 4-zone climate control, active ambient lighting), $3050; Neva Grey/Sable brown leather, $2990; Winter package (heated outboard rear seats, steering wheel, windshield washer system, and windshield), $1500; rear-axle steering, $1300; Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise control, lane change assist, active blind spot assist, emergency braking assist), $1250; Acoustic Comfort package, $1100; Digital Light LED headlights, $1100; 20-inch AMG wheels, $850; ventilated front seats, $450; Energizing Air Control Plus; $450; 110-volt charging cable, $250
POWERTRAINFront Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACRear Motor: permanent-magnet synchronous ACCombined Power: 288 hpCombined Torque: 564 lb-ftBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 90.6 kWhOnboard Charger: 9.6 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 170 kW
Transmissions: direct-drive
CHASSISSuspension, F/R: multilink/multilinkTires: Bridgestone Turanza T005 B-Silent
255/40R-20 101Y MO-S
DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 122.8 inLength: 196.6 inWidth: 76.2 inHeight: 59.5 in
Passenger Volume: 104 ft3
Trunk Volume: 15 ft3
Curb Weight: 5488 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS60 mph: 5.2 sec1/4-Mile: 13.9 sec @ 97 mph100 mph: 15.0 sec130 mph: 29.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.3 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.5 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 130 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 178 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 358 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.86 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGINGObserved: 85 MPGe
75-mph Highway Range: 260 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)Combined/City/Highway: 97/95/100 MPGe
Range: 300 mi
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Keyword: Tested: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 vs. 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE350 4Matic