Two German premium EVs, compared on solar cost
Both the i4 eDrive40 and the EQE 350+ are premium German EVs aimed at the same buyer, but the EQE's bigger 91 kWh battery and longer 654 km range come with slightly better efficiency too — 15.7 kWh/100km vs the i4's 16.3 kWh/100km. On solar, that narrow efficiency edge adds up over a year of charging.
i4 and EQE are evenly matched here — check the metrics below for the trade-off that matters most to you.
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Common Questions
The EQE is marginally more efficient than the i4 (15.7 vs 16.3 kWh/100km), so it needs slightly fewer panels for the same annual mileage — though the difference is smaller than in comparisons involving a Tesla.
With similar consumption figures, payback period for either car comes down more to your electricity price, roof size, and driving distance than the small efficiency gap between the two models.
A bigger battery means more range per charge, but it's annual kWh consumption — not battery size — that determines how many solar panels you need. The EQE's slightly better efficiency, not its battery size, is what narrows its solar footprint.