New Mercedes EQE vs Porsche Taycan: costs
As the electric equivalent of an E-Class, the new Mercedes EQE has the potential to shake up the executive car category. But first it’ll have to beat the Porsche Taycan...
Buying and owning
Costs, equipment, reliability, safety and security
Going on list prices, the Porsche Taycan is pricier to buy once you’ve ticked the options box for the must-have Performance Battery Plus. It’s also predicted to depreciate at a slighter faster rate than the Mercedes EQE, is fractionally more expensive to service and, as we’ve already said, is less efficient. When you’ve factored in all the costs you’re likely to face during three years of ownership, the EQE is likely to work out around £4000 cheaper for the average private cash buyer.
The gap is even wider if you go down the PCP finance route. Put down a £10,000 deposit and limit yourself to 10,000 miles a year over three years and the Taycan will set you back £1244 per month, compared with £902 for the EQE.
But if you’re a company car driver, you’re quids in either way, because the current tax breaks on electric cars mean that a 40% taxpayer will pay just £56 per month in benefit-in-kind tax for the EQE and £56 for the Taycan until April 2025, and only a little more for at least a year after that.
The EQE is generally better equipped than the Taycan, coming with goodies such as adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and the panoramic glass roof we mentioned earlier. However, it is frustrating that, unlike on the Taycan, useful features such as air suspension, four-wheel steering, Matrix LED headlights and a heated steering wheel can’t be added as options; to get these
and more, you’re forced to step up to Premium Plus trim.
With its maximum charging speed of 270kW, the Taycan can be topped up from 10-80% in as little as 20 minutes, while the EQE, with its bigger battery and maximum charging rate of 170kW, takes just over 30 minutes. Public chargers that can dispense 270kW or more are few and far between, mind. Use a typical 7kW home wallbox and a 0-100% top-up will take 13 and a half hours for the Taycan and a bit over 14 hours for the EQE.
The Taycan received five stars (out of five) for overall safety when tested by Euro NCAP in 2019. It was noted that there was a risk of whiplash injuries in a rear impact, but crash protection was otherwise good. The EQE – tested under a more stringent set of criteria in 2022 – was also awarded five stars, earning higher scores across the board than the Taycan.
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