You'll have to wait for 2024 for the high-powered AMG model to arrive.
The Mercedes-Benz EQ lineup just keeps growing. The Stuttgart-based automaker unveiled yet another electric SUV that’s coming stateside, by way of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. Like the sedan with which it shares nomenclature, the EQE SUV features some polarizing styling elements wrapped around a powertrain that promises to deliver more than 300 miles of range per charge. The new nameplate will also be the first electric SUV in the Mercedes lineup with an AMG variant, called the EQE AMG, which is slated to arrive for 2024. Here’s everything you need to know about these new EVs.
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV rides on the same electric architecture as the EQS SUV. Every EQE SUV will feature a 90.6 kWh battery pack. The battery is capable of charging at a maximum of 170 kW with DC fast charging, which allows the battery to recharge from 10-80 percent in just 32 minutes. Mercedes-Benz says that the battery is capable of providing up to 342 miles of range on the WLTP cycle, which will fall closer to the 300 mile range on our EPA testing cycle. Every Mercedes-Benz EV will be backed by a 10-year or 155,000 mile battery warranty.
The base model EQE 350+ SUV features a single rear drive motor delivering 288 hp and 417 lb-ft. The EQE 350 4Matic models see an additional motor on the front axle, providing a variable torque split across the four wheels. When extra traction isn’t necessary, the 4Matic system can decouple the front motor for improved efficiency. The entry-level 4Matic model retains the same 288 hp rating, but receives a bump up to 564 lb-ft or torque. Step up to the EQE 500 4Matic trim and output jumps significantly to 536 hp and 633 lb-ft. That sort of power allows the SUV to rip off a 0-60 mph sprint in just 4.6 seconds. 4Matic-equipped models will also receive a unique off-road driving mode, which recalibrates systems like ABS, traction control, and stability control, to allow a bit more slip over loose surfaces. The EQE 350+ SUV comes equipped with 19-inch wheels, while larger 20-inch units are reserved for the EQE 500 4Matic and its standard AMG Line Exterior package.
Every EQE SUV model sports a four-link front suspension system with an independent multi-link out back. Mercedes’s AirMatic suspension system with ADS+ dampers are optional. A rear-steer system is also available, which provides up to 10 degrees of steering angle at the rear axle. The 119.3-inch wheelbase of the EQE SUV is 3.5-inches shorter than that of the EQE sedan, which Mercedes says helps provide a more dynamic feel than the larger EQS SUV. The EQE SUV’s total length of 191.5-inch overall length is also significantly shorter than its sedan equivalent, making it a bit easier to navigate around town. Like other EQ models in the lineup, the looks are sure to be hit-or-miss with traditional buyers.
Inside the EQE SUV you’ll find typical Mercedes-Benz luxuries, including the latest MBUX infotainment system backed by over-the-air updates. That system functions through a 12.8-inch central OLED portrait display, which works in tandem with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. EQE 350 models will feature an MB-Tex interior, while the range-topping 500 model receives full leather. A Burmester 3D sound system with Dolby Atmos handles the tunes. Standard driver assist features include Active Brake Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, and Parking Assist Package. An optional Driver Assists Package brings more tech features like Active Lane Change Assist and Evasive Steering Assist among others. Inside drivers are treated to the new Serene Breeze soundscape, which aims to backfill the aural experience left behind by the internal combustion engine. Customers will be able to purchase soundscapes through the Mercedes me Store.
The EQE SUV is slated to arrive in the United States in 2023, but the high-performance AMG variant won’t be available until 2024. The Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV features the same 90.6 kWh battery pack as the other models, but comes exclusively with Mercedes’ 4Matic+ dual-motor setup. The AMG model gets yet another sizable performance bump, bringing output totals up to 617 hp and 701 lb-ft of torque. That can briefly jump up to 677 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque when the AMG Dynamic Plus Package is equipped. Using the Race Start mode, the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV can do 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 149 mph, up from 130 mph in other EQE SUV trims. That added power comes at the price of range however, with Mercedes-AMG estimating a figure of 292 miles on the frendlier WLTP cycle.
In order to contain all of that extra horsepower, the SUV comes equipped with 16.3-inch front and 14.9-inch rear brake rotors, with six-piston calipers on the front and a single-piston unit out back. For maximum performance, a set of ceramic composite brake rotors measuring 17.3-inches at the front are available. Those brakes hide behind 21 or optional 22-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport EV MO1 tires. The AMG model also benefits from Active Ride Control, which compensates for body roll in the corners for improved handling and ride comfort, thanks to an additional 48-volt system. A rear-steer setup with 9 degrees of steering angle comes standard on every AMG model.
The 2024 Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV features a MB-Tex and microfiber interior accented with red stitching, though a Nappa leather option is available. The standard steering wheel is also replaced by a flat-bottom AMG unit, complete with aluminum paddles for modulating regeneration. Customers can option the impressive looking MBUX Hyperscreen infotainment system in the AMG, which runs across the dash from A-pillar to A-pillar. As you’d expect from an AMG, the model also comes with its own unique EV soundtrack tuned for various driving conditions.
No pricing information or ordering date information for the EQE SUV lineup is available at this time. That said, don’t expect to have to wait too much longer for a more detailed look at this new EV offering from Stuttgart.
Keyword: The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV Lineup Brings Up To 677 HP