First Drive: 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE

Following on from the EQS road-rocket comes the next AMG all-electric ride. The EQE is an E-Class-sized sedan that hides some welcome ability beneath its shapely sheet metal. In other parts of the world, the newbie will be called the AMG EQE 53 4Matic+; in Canada it will simply be known as the AMG EQE 4Matic+, as we will not get the milder EQE 43.

At the heart of the EQE is a lithium-ion battery with 90.6 kilowatt/hours of usable power. How it dishes out the power depends on the drive mode selected. In Sport and Sport+ modes, the focus is on outright performance; dial it back to Comfort and driving range is given priority. Using a 170-kilowatt DC fast charger pumps 180 kilometres of range into the battery in 15 minutes. It also works with an 11 kW or optional 22 kW Level 2 charger. At this point the driving range for Canada has yet to be announced.

2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE Photo by Graeme Fletcher

The battery supplies two electric motors. The pair combine to twist out 616 horsepower and 701 pound-feet of torque. The instant-on nature of the torque makes this thing incredibly fast off the line and on up to impounding speeds. The twist is found when Race Start is engaged. Now the EQE gets an extra 61 hp and 37 lb-ft of torque, for a total of 677 hp and 738 lb-ft. This cuts the run to 100 kilometres an hour to just 3.3 seconds and it ups the top speed by 20 km/h to 240 km/h.

The two-motor layout brings a fully variable 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system. The torque distribution is checked 160 times per second and adjusted to meet the prevailing conditions, so the torrential downpour on the drive route left the EQE feeling planted and in touch with a rather slippery road.

Regenerative braking is offered in three levels, each being accessed through the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. In its mildest form it’s benign. Dial it up to maximum and you have a one-pedal drive. It’s the best for all situations except highway driving. In the city and on a twisty road the accelerator pedal controlled things perfectly, and without the need to reach for the brake pedal even when heading into a hairpin with a tad too much speed. Relaxing the regen on the highway brought a smoother drive.

The burning question is does it all work? The answer is a resounding yes! The day started with the battery showing a 98 per cent charge and 419-kilometres as the range. At the end of the 173-km test drive, the battery was showing a 52 per cent charge and 218-km of range. Given the entire drive was conducted in the performance-oriented Sport or Sport+ modes with lots of full-on acceleration and there was a significant highway section without any regenerative braking, these numbers are very impressive.

AMG earned its reputation for the outright performance of its cars and a delightful exhaust note it could call its own. The burbling blat from a honking twin-turbo V8 was unmistakable and intoxicating. The EQE comes with two sound signatures. The Authentic and Performance programs can then be set for Balanced, Sport or Powerful — think muted, loud and louder. Sadly, the experience is not a melodious one and needs a rethink. In fairness, AMG are not alone here, as all EV manufacturers are struggling to find the right EV sound.

The AMG EQE rides on air springs and adaptive dampers. How the setup works depends on the drive mode selected. There are Slippery, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ as well as an Individual mode. In Comfort, the ride is smooth and cosseting. Dial it up to Sport+ and the suspension lowers and dials out all body roll, which makes the driving dynamics so much sharper.

Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ (Stromverbrauch kombiniert (WLTP): 22,6–20,2 kWh/100 km; CO2-Emissionen kombiniert (WLTP): 0 g/km; Elektrische Reichweite (WLTP): 459–526 km); Exterieur: MANUFAKTUR graphitgrau magno; Interieur: AMG Nappa Leder schwarz/spacegrau // Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 4MATIC+ (combined electrical consumption (WLTP): 22.6–20.2 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions (WLTP): 0 g/km; Electrical range (WLTP): 459–526 km); exterior: MANUFAKTUR graphite grey magno (matte); interior: AMG nappa leather black/space grey Photo by Mercedes-AMG

2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE Photo by Graeme Fletcher

The drive modes also control the output from the electric motors. In Slippery, only half of the power is released to prevent unwanted wheelspin, there’s 80 per cent power in Comfort, 90 per cent in Sport and full jam Sport+. While it’s impossible to pick up on the difference between Sport and Sport+ in terms of performance, it’s not difficult to identify the differences in the driving experience. In the end, Sport proved to be the best. The ride is compliant and there’s very little body roll, even through a series of pretty serious switchbacks.

The hidden advantage is found in the standard four-wheel steering setup. It not only makes the EQE feel much lighter that its 2,525-kilogram curb weight, it also brings a very crisp turn-in response. At speeds below 60 km/h, the rear wheels turn up to 3.6-degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels. Above 60 km/h, the rear wheels now steer in the same direction as the front wheels. In practice, it brings a shorter turning circle low speeds; at speed it brings a crispness that belies its size. All of these advanced systems combine to deliver a dynamically blessed drive.

2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE Photo by Graeme Fletcher

Inside, the EQE is as swanky and technology laden as the EQS. In the tester, this meant the door-to-door Hyperscreen. It houses three screens under a single piece of glass. The instrumentation is reconfigurable and offers a number of different looks — I liked Sport. The central MBUX multimedia interface is enormous. Thankfully, it has been given the right smarts. The format uses a single-layer approach, so there’s no need to delve into menu after menu to accomplish a simple task. It also looks after all of the usual infotainment functions including Apple CarPlay. Not to be left out the front passenger gets their own screen. It’s pretty cool when the graphics show exactly what the electrics are doing, right down to motor rpm and output. Of course, it gives access to other functions including navigation.

The rear environment is just as comfortable with surprising amounts of head- and legroom for the outboard occupants to go along with a 430-litre trunk.

The 2023 EQE is a true AMG in every sense. It has a truly blistering turn of speed, it holds the driver’s line with wonderful tenacity and it’s opulent in the manner in which it pampers its passengers. In short, the AMG’s electric future looks very bright. Full specifications and pricing will be announced closer to its fourth-quarter launch.

Keyword: First Drive: 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE

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