We Drive a Golden Lily: The 2024 Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV

Enlarge / A new grille and new wheels are the key sign that this is an AMG EQE SUV. Jonathan Gitlin

A few months ago, we tested the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, the all-new mid-size electric vehicle from the German manufacturer. It was a solid performance - not exactly exciting but comfortable and equipped with one of the best infotainment systems in the business. Now it has received the AMG treatment, reworked by Mercedes' in-house tuning division. There are some subtle styling tweaks, suspension upgrades and new AMG-specific electric motors that boost power to 677 hp (505 kW). But did Affalterbach's makeover succeed in injecting more excitement into the EQE SUV recipe?

You can tell you're looking at the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV and not the classic Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV in several ways. The black panel up front is new, with vertical chrome strakes reminiscent of the grilles of air-breathing AMGs. The front bumper is sportier and gloss black accents are used instead of chrome, as well as on the aerodynamic elements like the various air vents and diffusers.

Enlarge / The EQE SUV may look a bit flat from the angle. Jonathan Gitlin

There's an AMG badge on the bonnet instead of the usual three-pointed star, and the highlight of the AMG treatment, at least for me, were the black '21 AMG alloy wheels inches, which are wrapped in EV-specific Michelin Pilot Sport tires. But overall the adjustments are subtle and unlikely to be noticed by a casual observer.

If you strip down an AMG EQE SUV, at the front and rear axles, you'll find permanently excited electric motors that are slightly different from those that power the regular EQE SUV, with new windings and sheet metal. Modified inverters and higher current translate to higher motor speed, and there's also increased cooling, including a liquid-cooled rotor shaft, to allow repeated hard acceleration without encountering thermal issues. There is also a standard heat pump.

Power and torque peak at 677 hp and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm), but only in "Race Start" mode (actually, Launch Control) with the boost function active. Without the boost, the power is capped at 617 hp (460 kW) on the race and sport+ start; sport mode gives you 555 hp (414 kW), comfort limits it to 493 hp (368 kW), and if you need the slippery surface setting, the AMG EQE SUV limits you to just 308 hp (230 kW) - 50 percent power.

Enlarge / Is anyone really asking for a hyperscreen? Jonathan Gitlin

The battery is 360 lithium-ion pocket cells, with AMG-specific wiring harness and power management software. It has a useful capacity of 90.6 kWh and can be recharged quickly with direct current up to 170 kW. However, charging times and an EPA range will only be available closer to the car's arrival in the US in Q3 2023. Driving on a mix of back roads and then on the freeway from San Diego to Santa Mo...