ith the launch of its all-electric E-Class equivalent, the 2023 EQE-Class, Mercedes has the Tesla Model S squarely in its sights. The self-proclaimed inventor of the combustion-powered car (see: 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen) felt no compunction to emulate any of the characteristics that helped the Model S popularize electric cars on a global scale—and which led to Tesla outselling Mercedes by 17,147 cars in 2021 to become the No. 3 luxury brand in the U.S. There’s no frunk in the EQE, no Ikea-style minimalist interior, no record-setting acceleration or range figures, no rainbow-road or fart-noise Easter eggs. Rather, the EQE
