Articles by Stephen Ottley

In the absence of the Tesla Model S the Mercedes-Benz EQE300 is a promising alternative. It offers the same blend of space, performance and electric efficiency as the Model S once did, before it disappeared from local showrooms in 2020.The EQE 300 is priced from $134,900 (excluding on-road costs) and comes well equipped with Mercedes' latest MBUX multimedia system, a Burmester 3D surround sound system, smartphone integration for Apple and Android devices and wireless charging, heated seats and a panoramic sliding sunroof all standard.It’s also fitted with AMG Line interior and exterior packages, which include sports-style seats, a multifunction sports steering wheel in Nappa leather and AMG floor mats. Externally there are 20-inch alloy wheels and an ‘AMG-inspired’ body styling package that includes a tiny three-pointed star repeating pattern on the ‘grille’ panel.It’s powered by a single, rear-mounted motor that makes 180kW/550Nm and the 90kW/h battery provides a respectable range of 508km on a single charge. Energy use is rated at 16.3kWh/100km and the EQE 300 can take an 11kW AC or 170kW DC charge via its Type CCS plug.It may be the ‘entry-level’ model in the range but the EQE 300 gets the same key safety features as the rest of the line-up. That means 10 airbags, a 360-degree parking camera, Active Parking Assist and Traffic Sign Assist, plus all the modern active safety features, including Active Distance Assist Distronic, Active Lane Change Assist and more.The EQE 300 is a spacious sedan, with generous room in both seating rows. This is largely thanks to the longer wheelbase of the EV2 platform that underpins the EQE, which allows for an extra 80mm of interior space.In other words, the EQE 300 should meet the requirements of anyone looking for an alternative to the Tesla Model S while it remains unavailable, while also having plenty of appeal in its own right.

Self-driving cars have become one of the most hot-button topics in the car industry in the past decade. Everyone from General Motors to Google is involved in trying to remove the human being from the driving process.

While the Tesla Model S remains unavailable to Australians, Mercedes-Benz is giving customers a new all-electric luxury sedan to consider. The EQE Sedan is the latest addition to the German brand's expanding EV line-up.

It’s been an eventful few weeks for the global car industry with some notable events that look set to shape what we’ll be driving in the years to come. And it's got me thinking - should we ban SUVs?

Jaguar Land Rover announced a radical reimagining of its entire organisation recently, and while the news that the company would invest £15 billion on the project was the obvious headline, there was a lot more beneath the surface.

What is the definition of a luxury car? It may seem like an obvious question to answer, but like so many things in life, once you start to really examine it and scratch beneath the surface, defining a luxury car isn’t quite as simple as it first appears.

Europe will ban all non-zero emission vehicles by 2035. The USA wants to have 67 per cent of all new car sales to be electric vehicles by 2032. Australia will introduce a fuel efficiency standard… eventually.

“You tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.” Homer Simpson’s words came to my mind when the news came through this week that Ford Australia is dropping the Escape at the end of 2023. It’s no secret that the Blue Oval has struggled with the mid-size SUV, or to be frank, anything other than the Ranger and Everest.

The motor show is dying. Even before the global pandemic shut down these events for several years, the spark had gone out as car makers invested less and less in these once extravagant expos.

A new trend has emerged in the car industry, with both established and unlikely newcomers offering motorists the chance to simply subscribe to rather than buy their next car. While leasing a vehicle has long been an option for customers, this new subscription trend offers a new way to have access to a car without needing to buy.