The Mercedes EQE SUV and the AMG EQE SUV are finally official - the company unveiled both models today. There were a few surprises, there were some firsts too but when it comes to design - it's all been revealed. However, Mercedes went on show, hired some dancers, got a few people into pebble chairs and even hired Henry the bunny, to prove just how friendly and good the new cars were.
Starting with the lower-end range, the EQE SUV will be available in 350+, 350 4MATIC and 500 4MATIC variants. The surprise was the missing EQE SUV 300, which we knew would be available in China thanks to an official listing that leaked only on Friday. It is possible for now Mercedes will focus on a more expensive version with the entry model to be introduced at a later stage.
The AMG EQE SUV will come in two flavors - 43 4MATIC and 53 4MATIC+ with up to 687 HP. There are a lot of mechanical differences between the AMG and non-AMG versions which can be blamed for the huge price difference - that's later. The AMG comes with an upgraded air suspension and adds the 48V anti-roll system we know from gas-powered models.
The brake system on the AMG EQE SUV comes with 6-piston calipers wrapped in 415mm discs at the front, 378mm disc brakes at the rear and single-piston calipers. Optional ceramic brakes make the front discs 440mm in diameter and 40mm thick - that's serious stopping power. The electro-mechanical brake amplifiers have been tuned by AMG engineers as well to provide the typical response expected from the brand.
Let's talk numbers - the AMG EQE 43 4MATIC SUV is powered by two electric motors with a combined output of 350 kW or 476 HP and 858 Nm of torque. The battery pack is a 328V and 90.6 kWh powerplant capable of 170 kW DC charging and up to 22 kW AC charging. The system recovery capacity is 260 kW.
The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes 4.3 seconds and the car will reach a top speed of 210 km/h which is electronically limited. The WLTP range is 488 km (303 miles) or 431 km (267 miles) with optional 22” wheels. The AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ SUV gets a significant power boost - 460 kW (626 HP) and 950 Nm of torque blasts the car from rest to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. That's actually not entirely true, Mercedes is playing some tricks with the numbers here. That 3.5 seconds can only be achieved with the optional DYNAMIC PLUS package which increases power to 505 kW (687 HP) and torque to 1,000 Nm. Top speed goes up to 240 km/h with that option - without it, the car reaches 220 km/h.
The range for the more powerful version is 375 km on 22” wheels and 470 km on the standard 21-inch item.
Both the EQE SUV and AMG EQE SUV have rear wheel steering, the non AMG version gets 10 degrees articulation as an option, in the standard AMG it only gets 9 degrees because the wheels are bigger and wider.
The list of options for both models is very long, although the entry model EQE SUV 350 is expected to start around €75,000 once options start piling up, it would be easy to get close to €90,000. The company hasn't officially confirmed pricing yet but a quick look at the EQE pricing confirms our suspicions. The AMG version will start at a minimum of €110,000 and the fully loaded AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ SUV will be close to €150,000.
From the outside, it's really hard to tell the difference between these two models - of course, there are wheels and glossy black plastic trim on the AMG but if it weren't for the badge and grille - you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Even more interesting, from a distance it is rather difficult to distinguish the EQE SUV from the EQS SUV. While anyone can tell the difference between GLE and GLS, the members of the EQ family are much more alike. That's great for owners of the smaller, cheaper EQE, but folks using the EQS SUV may not be overly impressed.
Over the coming weeks Mercedes and AMG will announce more details, hopefully pricing will follow soon. There is already a video on YouTube available with a first look and an in-depth review. Both AMG and non-AMG models will be produced in the US at Mercedes' factory in Alabama and the US will be the first market to experience a mid-sized electric SUV with a three-pointed star on the grille.