Mercedes-Benz has added plug-in hybrid power to the GLE large SUV, and the GLE 450e goes on sale in Australia from today. The SUV wagon is priced at $156,900 before on-road costs and the Coupe at $160,900, slotting well under the AMG-tuned GLE53 they sit alongside.
A six-cylinder plug-in with real EV range
The 450e pairs a 3.0 litre turbo-petrol inline six with a 135kW electric motor for a combined 320kW and 680Nm, driving all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic. A 25.7kWh battery gives a claimed 87km of electric range in the SUV and 91km in the Coupe on the WLTP cycle, and the car will run on electricity alone up to 140km/h. Charging is 11kW AC as standard, with a full top-up in under three hours, while an optional $1,100 60kW DC charger cuts a 10 to 80 per cent fill to about 29 minutes. The Mercedes-Benz GLE now lines up against the BMW X5 and the new Zeekr 8X.
Cartell Assessment
This is the sensible GLE for buyers who want the badge and most of the performance without the AMG thirst. Close to 90km of real electric range covers most daily driving, and the pricing gap under the GLE53 is large enough to matter.
AU Outlook
Plug-in hybrids keep gaining ground in the large luxury SUV class as emissions rules bite, and the GLE 450e gives Mercedes a direct answer to the BMW X5 xDrive50e. Expect the plug-in to take a healthy share of GLE sales from here.
