Every once in a while I get to test a car that reaffirms why I got into this business in the first place. The 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE sedan with 677 horsepower of electric power, every performance tweak known to man, and all of pomp and circumstance to go with it is one of them.
This car is bonkers fast. It has a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds and that is turn the world, silent, immediate and explosive acceleration. It happens like turning on a light switch. There you did it. It’s done, now you’re going 120 mph, let off the power pedal already.
To reduce this car to horsepower however would be a sin. The Mercedes-AMG EQE represents one of the best kept secrets in the automotive landscape. It’s a world class super car that almost hides in rather sensible shoes Mercedes-Benz luxury car clothing.
Yes, our tester was dressed well with its satin finish Graphite Gray Magno paint, massive 21-inch AMG wheels, carbon ceramic brakes with bright yellow calipers and the AMG Night Package just to name a few details. It was a stunner up close, but from across the parking lot blended in.
Inside were several hides of Nappa leather, some of the best AMG sport seats I’ve ever sat in and yards of LED accent lighting. The level of future tech here with the MBUX screens and touch sensitive cockpit controls is bar none the best in the business – something I say almost every time I test a Mercedes-Benz, and I say it again here.
There is literally too much to list when it comes to what you are treated to behind the wheel. Suffice it to say it’s well done and makes you feel like you spent your money well, gives you everything you need to do the best job at the business of driving, and sends you home a more joyful person.
Powering this beast are electric motors front and rear. Base horsepower is 617 and up to 677 briefly when hitting “Boost”. Torque is an axle twisting 701 pound-feet but also rises to 738 pound-feet at max “Boost” setting. It’s an eyeball sucking, back planting, warp speed life experience. You should really try it.
All that power pulling from its 90.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack does have the effect of giving this car a shorter than average range of 225 miles. When it comes to performance electric cars, one must appreciate (or maybe accept is the better term) their range much like we accept the short range of gas slurping high performance ice cars. It’s part of the life experience I mentioned last paragraph.
The chassis is as tight as it can be and all the weight of its massive lithium-ion battery pack is managed by a sport tuned AMG ride control air suspension. This is a key point, because this car weighs in at an astounding 5534 pounds.
The adaptive damping and continuously adjusting air springs allow this car to have an acceptable ride during routine driving around town where pot holes, driveway entrances, speed bumps and tar strips all have to be accommodated for.
The suspension can then adjust in millisecond to handle and mange the car’s weight when you mash the pedal and dial up the speed, turn hard into corners and demand super-car handling. Is it a perfect solution? No. No matter how fast and how stiff the suspension can adjust like an athletic cat, this is still a heavy block that has limits in the world of physics.
The good news are those massive carbon ceramic brakes that can haul this thing down from orbit in a meaningful way. They modulate well for a drive-by wire brake system and feel as natural and predictable as any I have had in an electric vehicle. Its four-wheel steering also conspired to help make the EQE feel more nimble and athletic on its feet both in town and on the highway. Parallel parking is a snap.
At $130,240 as tested, the Mercedes-AMG EQE sedan offers a compelling argument in the face of performance sedans offered by start-ups Tesla and Lucid because this is a Mercedes. This is a car made by a company that has been at it for a while – it just happens to be electric.
For your money you get a car that has all the hallmarks of the brand in its look, its feel, its smell and its character and none of the quirks that haven’t been worked out yet. In the end that last sentiment is what makes this electric performance sedan in a class of its own.
Specifications:
Horsepower: 617-677
Torque: 701-738 lb-ft
Battery: 90.6 kWh
EPA Range: 225 miles
Price as tested: $130,240
