With EV manufacturing ramping up, automakers can now shift consideration to one thing extra enjoyable: making EVs which can be partaking to drive, the sort that encourage you to take the great distance residence. Mercedes-Benz is placing its greatest individuals on the job.
For greater than 50 years, AMG has been turning Mercedes luxurious vehicles into race vehicles and sizzling rods—and the efficiency division is now working its magic on EVs. We’ve already gotten AMG variations of the Mercedes-Benz EQS and EQE sedans, however AMG is now upping the problem degree with an electrical SUV.
The 2024 Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV is AMG’s tackle the EQE SUV that launched earlier this 12 months. Along with discovering an alternative to extra visceral internal-combustion engines, AMG needed to take care of a better heart of gravity and much more weight to make this SUV actually sporty. With so many electrical SUVs in the marketplace, the AMG EQE SUV may go down as a mere trial run, or be a harbinger of limitless boringness to return.
Design and inside
AMG fashions have by no means been flashy. Apart from refined modifications noticeable solely to sharp-eyed automobile fans, they typically appear like the Mercedes autos they’re based mostly on. That stealth look is a part of the enjoyable, and AMG hasn’t modified it for the electrical fashions.
The AMG variant seems like an EQE SUV that’s prepared for a job interview. Every thing is just about the identical, simply sharper and extra put collectively. The black panel meant to recommend a grille has sprouted some vertical bars like those you’d see on a gasoline AMG mannequin, the wheels have a sportier design, and the entrance and rear fasciae get some refined aerodynamic additions.
The AMG variant seems like an EQE SUV that’s prepared for a job interview.
The general form continues to be the identical, nevertheless. Mercedes rounded off the perimeters of conventional SUV design in the identical of decreasing aerodynamic drag, which is a crucial think about maximizing EV vary. It doesn’t make the EQE SUV particularly nice to take a look at, although, though a minimum of it will likely be simpler to inform the AMG EQE SUV other than the bigger EQS SUV, which doesn’t get the AMG remedy.
The inside additionally largely carries over from the bottom EQE SUV, however on this case, that’s a superb factor. Mercedes has give you an inside design theme that’s each fashionable and opulent. And whereas this can be a efficiency automobile, you continue to get loads of creature comforts, together with leather-based seats which can be loads snug for lengthy freeway drives.
Tech, infotainment, and driver help
The AMG EQE SUV will get the Hyperscreen show beforehand seen on different Mercedes EQ fashions, consisting of a digital instrument cluster, central touchscreen, and a front-passenger touchscreen below one dashboard-spanning piece of glass. The shows span 56 inches in complete, though the three screens function independently. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included as effectively.
Additionally current is the acquainted Mercedes-Benz Consumer Expertise (MBUX) infotainment system, which offers an identical expertise to different latest Mercedes fashions. The principle touchscreen, which has a “Zero Layer” idea that overlays key features as tiles on a map show, is straightforward to navigate. Or you could possibly simply use the very dependable voice recognition system, which stays the gold customary for such tech in vehicles.
You possibly can put the varied screens to work analyzing the automobile’s efficiency.
On this AMG mannequin, you can too put the varied screens to work analyzing the automobile’s efficiency. The instrument cluster can present a G-meter, so you may see precisely how shut you might be to creating your passengers vomit. Any passenger with a robust abdomen can monitor the move of power between the 2 electrical motors, or use a digital IWC stopwatch to time the motive force.
Going for the AMG mannequin doesn’t imply sacrificing driver-assist tech. The AMG EQE SUV contains anticipated options like adaptive cruise management and automated emergency braking, in addition to a traffic-jam help perform that permits it to creep ahead in stop-and-go visitors. Except for a lane-change help perform that appeared to have a thoughts of its personal, executing lane modifications unprompted, the whole lot carried out as anticipated.
Driving expertise
AMG places most of its effort into the suspension and powertrain. Within the AMG EQE SUV, meaning one electrical motor driving every axle, with a mixed output of 617 horsepower and 701 pound-feet of torque, in comparison with 402 hp and 633 lb-ft for probably the most highly effective dual-motor, non-AMG model of the EQE SUV.
Output might be additional boosted with a Race Begin mode, which quickly offers 677 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque for fast getaways. With Race Begin mode engaged, Mercedes estimates the AMG EQE SUV will do zero to 60 mph in 3.Four seconds, in comparison with 4.6 seconds for the quickest non-AMG mannequin. High pace additionally elevated from 130 mph to 149 mph, whereas the battery pack has the identical 90.6-kilowatt-hour capability as different EQE SUV fashions.
As a substitute of the acquainted roar of an engine, you get what sounds just like the moaning of a depressed robotic.
Different upgrades embody an AMG-specific air suspension system with adaptive dampers, customary rear-axle steering, and an electromechanical anti-roll system that robotically adjusts to easy out bumps or tauten the chassis for sharper dealing with, as wanted. Upgraded brakes and a choice of drive modes (Slippery, Consolation, Sport, Sport+, and an Particular person mode that permits you to combine and match settings), together with a synthetic soundtrack meant to take the place of engine noises. As a substitute of the acquainted roar of an engine, you get what sounds just like the moaning of a depressed robotic.
Weird noises apart (they are often turned off), the AMG EQE SUV was undoubtedly an enchancment over the bottom model. Fast acceleration enabled by immediately obtainable torque is now an EV cliché, however on this AMG EV you may actually really feel the accelerative drive. The AMG mannequin additionally felt extra composed in corners, with out sacrificing the usual model’s plush trip.
But whereas that is undoubtedly a greater EQE SUV, it’s not probably the most enjoyable EV to drive. On slim roads — like the sort Mercedes despatched us on for a part of the take a look at drive — the automobile’s width and the shortage of precision from the steering wheel may have you nervously eyeing the lane markers. And whereas the AMG EQE SUV can get itself round corners with spectacular effectivity, it’s very a lot a point-and-shoot automobile the place the motive force is usually alongside for the trip.
It will not be completely consistent with the AMG ethos, however the AMG EQE SUV is significantly better at blasting down highways than attacking twisty roads. It’s as snug as you’ll count on a Mercedes to be, and you may put the added energy to good use overtaking semi-trucks.
Vary, charging, and security
Mercedes hasn’t launched vary estimates for the AMG EQE SUV, however this extra highly effective efficiency mannequin is unlikely to beat the non-AMG variations. Official rankings haven’t been printed for these fashions both, though Mercedes doesn’t count on any of them to surpass 300 miles.
Like different EQE SUV fashions, the AMG EQE SUV can DC quick cost at as much as 170 kilowatts, which needs to be good for a 10% to 80% cost in below 40 minutes. That, together with the quoted Degree 2 AC energy price of 9.6 kw, isn’t game-changing. Mercedes house owners will a minimum of quickly have entry to a community of devoted charging stations, which the automaker claims will present a greater expertise than the third-party stations it presently depends on.
The Insurance coverage Institute for Freeway Security (IIHS) and Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) haven’t printed crash-test rankings for the EQE SUV, but when they do the rankings needs to be relevant to the AMG mannequin. Anticipate it to get the identical guarantee protection as different Mercedes fashions as effectively, together with a four-year, 50,000-mile, new-vehicle guarantee and a 10-year, 155,000-mile, battery guarantee.
How DT would configure this automobile
It will not be the last word efficiency automobile, however this AMG mannequin is certainly a greater EQE SUV. Its additional energy and extra composed driving dynamics improve the driving expertise, and you continue to get the identical well-designed inside and infotainment system as the usual EQE SUV. So that is undoubtedly the EQE SUV to have, though it is going to in all probability value considerably greater than the usual model, which presently tops out at $96,400.
If you need a sporty luxurious EV, although, it may be value among the electrical sedans presently on provide. The Mercedes EQE sedan can be obtainable in AMG guise, and whereas it doesn’t have as a lot inside area as its SUV counterpart, its decrease heart of gravity and road-skimming driving place make it nearer to a real driver’s automobile. Ditto the ultra-quick Lucid Air and Tesla Mannequin S, in addition to the Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan, which leverage chassis tech honed in internal-combustion vehicles for driving thrills.
Amongst electrical luxurious SUVs, the AMG EQE SUV is faster than the BMW iX M60 and a base Tesla Mannequin X, whereas Audi hasn’t but launched an RS efficiency model of its Q8 e-tron. However extra competitors is on the way in which within the type of an all-electric model of the Porsche Cayenne and, probably, the Lotus Eletre electrical SUV that not too long ago launched in Europe. So Mercedes’ largest achievement with the AMG EQE SUV may simply be getting it on sale on the proper time.
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