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The blobs are not long for this world. The most criticized aspect of Mercedes-Benz's electric vehicles has been their overly rounded, futuristic designs, so the German automaker is reversing course, making its upcoming EVs look more like, well, how a Mercedes should. Our spy photographers have captured the upcoming next-generation Mercedes E-Class testing around the Nürburgring in Germany. The traditional silhouette might lead you to believe the camouflaged car runs on an internal combustion engine, but when it's revealed next year the new E-Class will be solely offered as an EV (the current-gen E may stay around for longer than usual to satisfy gas-loving customers).
The rounded design of the EQ lineup wasn't solely for aesthetics — the design direction also increased range by lowering the drag coefficient of all the vehicles, sedans and SUVs alike. With improved technology, designers are far less constrained by the battery's capacity, and developing a slippery shape isn't as important. While no specifications have been revealed for this upcoming E-Class, Mercedes claims its 2028 VLE has up to 404 miles of range in European WLTP testing. Some rumors suggest the sedan could reach the elusive 1,000-kilometer (621-mile) range mark, but only time will if those murmurs are to be believed.
Mercedes-Benz is still dreaming of an electric future
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Once the camo comes off, I would be surprised if the electric E-Class resembled its smaller 2027 C-Class Electricsibling. The new model doesn't fully revert to the sharp lines and angular look of its 80s and 90s predecessors, but the sedan shape remains. Unlike the C-Class' sloping rear, the camo E-Class featured a traditional three-box design with an upright greenhouse and a flat trunk. It will be interesting to compare this upcoming Mercedes with other excellent luxury electric sedans, like the Lucid Air.
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In terms of what details we can see, this prototype has a blunt nose that will probably have an even more in-your-face grille than what we've seen on the GLC and C-Class EVs. Narrow headlights have a pair of stars in them, but instead of stars in the taillights, the E-Class is going a bit retro — the rear end has thin taillights that appear to evoke the beloved ribbed lights of models like the W123 and W124, with no star elements to be found. It looks like the greenhouse will feature a quarter window at the C-pillar, something usually reserved for long-wheelbase models.
Mercedes-Benz had to reimagine its electric future after the lackluster reception of its EQ lineup. In 2025, the German automaker halted production of all U.S. spec EQS and EQE. Admittedly, President Donald Trump's killing of the federal tax credit and steep tariffs on the European Union certainly helped the downfall. While the electric SUVs were produced in Alabama, the sedans were still built in Germany. Most don't want to see an ambitious endeavor fail outright, but sometimes a company needs to stumble before it can soar.