Despite being a highly capable version with a powerful 677 horsepower, the high-performance electric SUV model with the three-pointed star logo still fails to meet the expectations of many experts.
First of all, many people are very impressed with the power of this high-performance SUV. Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV has a power of 617 horsepower and 950 Nm when operating in normal mode. But when combined with the AMG Race Start feature, the car can reach a speed of 0 – 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds thanks to the instant power boost to 677 horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque.
Looking at it as a high-performance model aimed at impressive performance, the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV does not have a sporty exterior and interior design. Instead, it has a smooth, luxurious, and modern style that suits the role of a daily driver, similar to the standard Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 SUV version.
The difference between these two versions is that the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV is blacked out on the lower parts, such as the front bumper, air intakes, wheels, side moldings, rear bumper… The front grille of the car also becomes more muscular with a vertical design that is synchronized with the lower bumper. Of course, the car’s “feet” also have AMG-specific wheel designs.
Inside the AMG EQE SUV, the interior compartment has also been updated with the latest generation of design style of the German luxury car brand. The compact D-cut steering wheel has a familiar dual-spoke layout. The seats are adorned with highlighted stitching details on both the version using MB-Tex/microfiber composite fiber seats and the premium Nappa leather seat version.
The headrest is embossed with the Affalterbach emblem – the countryside of Germany, where the famous AMG “powerhouse” was born, combined with the AMG logo attached to the front seat. In addition, the high-performance electric SUV shares nearly all of the exterior and interior design with the standard Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV version.
The same goes for design, it doesn’t mean performance is the same! Surpassing the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, the AMG EQE SUV model is equipped with electric motors on both the front and rear axles to suit the higher current intensity; the inverter unit is optimized to enhance power and motor speed.
Especially, the rear motor has a six-phase design, consisting of two three-phase coils and an additional pull-in phase in the stator to improve responsiveness.
The motor system on the AMG EQE SUV is liquid-cooled for the stator, providing better acceleration even in weak battery conditions or hot weather, thanks to better heat dissipation than conventional versions that use air cooling.
If you add the AMG Dynamic Plus option package, the maximum total power of the car will be instantly increased by 60 horsepower and 50 Nm of torque (but only for a short period of time to improve acceleration).
The real-life experience shows that the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV only takes 3.4 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h from a standstill – faster than the BMW i-X M60 with a time of 3.7 seconds and superior to the Audi SQ8 E-Tron with a time of 4.5 seconds.
Some electric cars will smoothly accelerate at the beginning and then unleash their full power, but the AMG EQE SUV doesn’t. The car immediately takes off as soon as you release the brake pedal, causing your body to sink deep into the seat and pumping a large amount of adrenaline into the driver’s heart along with an intense feeling of excitement.
And thanks to the liquid cooling system for both front and rear motors, the driver can perform repeated acceleration and deceleration phases until they get bored!
Although it has an elegant appearance but comes with a “violent” acceleration capability that can make many people conclude that the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV is the worthy successor of the “speed icon” AMG E500 from 1995 or AMG E55 from 1999. However, fast acceleration does not go hand in hand with impressive high-speed handling ability.
Real-world experience shows that in the Relax driving mode, this pure electric SUV provides a smooth and comfortable driving experience, a quiet space when gliding on the highway; the suspension system responds well as “standard” for a German luxury car.
But when it comes to corners, the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV seems a bit “lacking”. On rough roads, the suspension system on this SUV is frequently compressed beyond the travel limits of the springs, even though the driver deliberately sets the air suspension system to the stiffest level.
The reason may be due to the excessive weight of the battery system, making the car weigh nearly 2.7 tons. Although it accelerates fast, the car’s response still gives the driver a heavy and dull feeling.
In addition, the braking system on the car also provides a disappointing experience. On other Mercedes-EQ electric models, the lightness or heaviness of the brake pedal corresponds to the desired level of energy regeneration – providing a realistic feeling; but on the AMG EQE SUV, the brake pedal feels stiff and hard like rubber, resulting in poor deceleration. At this point, the driver will have to set the regenerative energy to the lowest level (meaning completely eliminating the regeneration – energy recovery capability from the brakes); but that will reduce other experiences on the EV.
Furthermore, the car always intervenes heavily to ensure extreme stability of the body. When driving the AMG EQE SUV on mountainous roads, the driver will easily feel one or two wheels being braked during a corner, but then released on their own, making it difficult for the driver to have a confident steering feel.
Moreover, the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV provides a similar experience to the “highway-traveling master” AM or GT models of the 1990s or 2000s. On highways, thanks to the high power and quiet cabin, passengers can travel hundreds of kilometers comfortably without feeling tired.
The high-quality interior materials, quality finish; especially the central control panel area or the window sill with MB-Tex material – where users often touch; or the Nappa leather-wrapped seats contribute to enhancing the user experience. Although there are still a few details that give a somewhat cheap feeling like the door handle, overall the experience of using the EQE SUV is highly praised.
Furthermore, the seats in both the front and rear rows in the AMG EQE SUV are perfectly designed, allowing for a comfortable and ergonomic sitting position; the field of view is also more open than on the EQE sedan sibling. The luggage capacity of over 500L is quite similar to the GLA or GLC.
Mercedes equips the AMG EQE SUV with a 90.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that can be compatible with fast charging at 170 kW – similar to the Audi SQ8 but slightly lower than the BMW iX M60 – which can charge up to 195 kW. According to the German manufacturer, the car can be charged from 10 – 80% battery level in just 31 minutes with a fast one-way charger. With a 9.6 kW charger using 240V domestic electricity, the car can fully charge the battery in one night, equivalent to less than 10 hours
Although the EPA – the US energy measurement agency – has not yet announced the exact numbers, it is highly likely that the AMG EQE SUV will be able to travel about 370 km per full charge; a bit less than the standard EQE 500 version with lower power and a range of 420 km. Either way, the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV is unlikely to match the iX M60, with a range of up to 463 km per full charge.
In the current US market, the Audi SQ8 has leaked an unofficial price of less than $100,000 (equivalent to VND 2.3 billion); the BMW iX M60 is listed at $112,495 (over VND 2.6 billion). The sedan version of the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV with slightly lower power is priced at $108,500 (over VND 2.5 billion), so it is highly likely that this sporty SUV will have a lighter price than its BMW competitor.
It must be reiterated that although the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV does not meet the high demands of speed enthusiasts suffering from “gasoline addiction”; it is still a worthy candidate in the business battle against opponents thanks to its outstanding acceleration abilities.
From another perspective, the Genesis GV60 is also a very noteworthy name in the pure electric SUV segment – luxury – high-performance. Although the representative from South Korea is not as attractive as its German rivals, it is still a good choice with eye-catching design and a much more affordable price.
Anh Phan (Tuoitrethudo)
Source: InsideEVs
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