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Mercedes continues to test the upcoming EQE successor. The E-Class EQ will have a more traditional design. We can also expect 483 hp and a range of around 444 miles. The Mercedes EQ lineup has been an unmitigated disaster and a lack of demand forced the company to temporarily pause production to reduce swelling inventories. While assembly of the EQE, EQE SUV, EQS, and EQS SUV recently resumed, the automaker is already looking forward to a less blob-like future. More: Mercedes’ New E-Class EQ Is Coming To Right The EQE’s Wrongs That’s clear today as spy photographers have snapped the upcoming E-Class with EQ Technology. Terrible name aside, the EQE successor will fix the sins of the past with an all-new design that more closely resembles the ICE-powered model. As a result, it looks more like a sedan and less like a bar of Dove soap. Caught undergoing testing in snowy conditions, the E-Class EQ is heavily disguised but will likely feature the brand’s new ‘iconic grille.’ The chrome-clad behemoth recently debuted on the GLC EV and will also be found on the upcoming C-Class EV. If its size didn’t draw enough attention, there’s an illuminated variant with 942 lights as well as a shining star. The headlights and taillights are temporary units, but they’ll eventually be replaced by starry production components. We can also see an upward sweeping beltline and a greenhouse that echoes the one found on the C-Class EV. However, the E-Class is notable for having traditional door handles and mirrors that are mounted at the base of the A-pillar. GLC EQ Spy photographers haven’t gotten a good look inside, but the C-Class EQ follows in the footsteps of the CLA and appears to adopt a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14-inch infotainment system, and a 14-inch front passenger display. However, the more upscale E-Class EQ could take a page from the GLC and sport a massive 39.1-inch screen. Read: Mercedes-AMG Forced To Kill Some Of Its Loudest Cars Under New EU Rules The model will ride on the MB.EA platform and have a lot in common with the GLC EV. This means we can expect a two-speed transmission, a roughly 94 kWh battery pack, and a dual-motor all-wheel drive system producing a combined output of 483 hp (360 kW / 489 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. SHproshots This setup enables the GLC 400 4MATIC to accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 4.3 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 130 mph (210 km/h). The crossover also has a WLTP range of up to 444 miles (715 km). Also: Mercedes Wants Baby G-Wagen To Win Buyers The Big One Never Could When the battery is low, drivers will be thankful for the 800-volt electrical architecture and the 330 kW DC fast charging capability. It will enable the GLC to get up to 188 miles (303 km) of range in as little as 10 minutes. SHproshots

Toyota told owners they could pause payments amid lawsuit. Owners say they received written payment pause assurances. The $5.7B RICO suit accuses Toyota of hiding hydrogen flaws. Shortly after being hit with a $5.7 billion lawsuit accusing it of running a “criminal operation” to conceal safety issues in its hydrogen-powered Mirai, Toyota now faces fresh criticism from owners who say the company has sent them to collections, even after assuring them they could pause payments during the ongoing legal battle. According to attorney Jason Ingber, who represents many of the plaintiffs, Toyota told some customers they could suspend monthly payments due to widespread problems with the hydrogen fueling network, which has left many Mirai owners stuck with expensive cars they can barely drive. Read: $5.7 Billion RICO Lawsuit Says Toyota Ran A Hydrogen Crime Family Several Toyota Mirai owners now allege that what seemed like a gesture of goodwill on Toyota’s part has seen them take substantial hits on their credit scores. Ingber, who is spearheading the RICO lawsuit, says owners received written assurances from Toyota that payments wouldn’t be demanded while the lawsuit is ongoing. “This was a big relief, and then with the uncertainty of it, now some people have gone back to making payments,” Ingber told KTLA. “Some people threw their arms in the air because they already got negative credit reported. This is a fiasco within the fiasco that’s really cruel, in my opinion.” Payment Pauses Gone Wrong One of those owners, Anthony Escobedo, told the news station that he had worked his credit score up to 814. Following Toyota’s guidance, he paused payments on his Mirai. Not long after, he was sent to collections. His credit dropped by 100 points overnight, disqualifying him from securing an interest-free loan he needed to cover medical expenses for his wife. Toyota later reversed the missed payment report, though his credit score did not fully recover. The same thing reportedly happened to Julie Doumit. She told KTLA she paused payments based on Toyota’s guidance, after making 46 consecutive monthly payments on time for her Mirai. Still, she was reported to debt collectors, and her credit score dropped by 70 points. Fellow Mirai owner Alejandro King said his score also took a steep hit, falling by roughly 150 points from a peak of 835 after he paused payments as well. “I’ve been building my credit since I was 18 years old. I have never missed a payment. I have paid everything off all the time. My credit score was like 835, which is phenomenal, and I’ve always kept it that way. And for me to see that happen, I was so depressed that I couldn’t sleep,” King said. Internal Miscommunication In some cases, it’s believed that Toyota representatives simply missed the notes on customers’ accounts indicating that payments had been paused. As a result, those accounts were mistakenly flagged and sent to collectors. The RICO lawsuit against Toyota claims that it coordinated with its financing arms and dealerships in California to market and finance the Mirai, despite technicians describing them as “ticking hydrogen bombs.” It’s also alleged that Toyota concealed multiple flaws in the Mirai, including the risk of hydrogen leaking near hot engine components.