Mercedes-AMG has pulled the silks from the EQE 4MATIC+, the performance-orientated counterpart to the EQE sedan that’s expected to land in Canada in the latter half of 2022.
Though built on the same ‘EVA2’ architecture that undercuts Mercedes’ luxury electric vehicles (including both the EQE and the EQS electric flagship), the new EQE 4MATIC+ features the customary bespoke chassis, suspension and brake tweaks, as well as lunatic power outputs we’ve come to expect from Affalterbach.
Mercedes-AMG EQE 4MATIC+
Two AMG-specific electric motors – which feature higher currents and performance-specific inverters – power both the front and rear axles, with a fiery 617 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque being sent to all four wheels. The 0-100 km/h run is done in 3.5 seconds en-route to a 220 km/h top speed.
Customers that opt for the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS Package, meanwhile, get a power and torque hike to 677 hp and 738 lb-ft respectively, enough to shave two-tenths off the 0-100 km/h sprint and bump the top speed up to 240 km/h.
Mercedes-AMG EQE 4MATIC+
In true AMG fashion, the dual-motor setup distributes torque, front-to-rear, more rapidly in the 4MATIC+ than its more ‘leisurely’ Mercedes-Benz counterpart, with power output to both axles analyzed 160 times per second.
To truly hammer home the ‘performance’ elements, Mercedes has also included the intriguingly-named AMG Sound Experience. In an effort to replicate the aural impact of AMG’s sonorous combustion engines, a synthesized track plays through the speakers while driving, the characteristics of which can be adjusted for a more ‘Balanced,’ ‘Sport’ and ‘Powerful’ timbre.
Mercedes-AMG EQE 4MATIC+
Mated with the electric motors is a new generation, 328-volt lithium-ion battery that packs 90.6 kWh of usable capacity, though Mercedes has also focused on the battery’s efficiency. 107 kW of fast-charging capacity means an additional 180 km of electric range is available inside 15 minutes, and an integrated thermal management system – which preheats or cools the battery pack to optimal temperature when a charging point is searched and selected in the vehicle’s Navigation system (Hyundai is introducing a similar feature on the IONIQ 5 for 2023) – helps shorten charging times on the go.
Admittedly, that extra performance, plus a hefty 2,525 kg kerb weight, has inevitably impacted the range, though the AMG-spec sedan is still capable of between 444 and 518 km, depending on package options and drive modes.
Mercedes-AMG EQE 4MATIC+
On that note, don’t think that upwards of 617 hp will be readily available. Five ‘AMG DYNAMIC SELECT’ modes adjust the suspension settings, steering response and torque delivery accordingly, and range from ‘Slippery’ – which pegs power by 50 per cent to 308 hp – through ‘Comfort’ – 80 per cent to 493 hp – to the more dynamic ‘Sport’, ‘Sport+’ and ‘Race Start’ (100 per cent available), with more power and torque fed to the rear axle. The optional ‘Race Start with Boost Function’ unlocks all 677 hp of power – 110 per cent – with the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS Package.
Air suspension (four-link at the front, multilink at the rear) is standard, but features AMG-specific wheel carriers, suspension links and anti-roll bars for tighter handling. Adaptive dampers have been optimized for the 4MATIC+, with ride height dropping by up to 15mm in Sport and/or Sport+ modes for more precision.
Improved maneuverability though is not exclusively reserved for high speeds, as the new AMG comes with rear-wheel steering as standard. Below 60 km/h, the rear wheels turn by up to 3.6 degrees in the opposite direction to the front for more a more “light-footed”, agile response.
Read more: Mercedes flagship EQS 580 has arrived in Canada
Mercedes’ Affalterbach-based performance arm has also fitted a bespoke braking system to the EQE 4MATIC+, including six-piston calipers and sizeable 415 mm discs at the front, for added stopping power. There’s an optional carbon-ceramic set too that ups the front disc size yet further to 440 mm, provided new owners don’t mind speccing the optional 21-inch wheels.
Cosmetically, the EQE 4MATIC+ boasts a new black front grille with chrome accenting, a bespoke front bumper, more heavily grooved side sills, a larger rear-lip spoiler and a new diffuser on the outside. Further AMG details featured on the inside include racier sport seats, an AMG-specific steering wheel, and red stitching across the seats and dash, though more notable is the enormous, Hyperscreen infotainment system that dominates the dash. This debuted on the EQS and incorporates three screens behind a one-piece glass cover, and now includes AMG graphics and optional performance functions: if on-track, EQE owners can log and view vehicle data via the AMG Track Pace app.
Canadian pricing for the EQE 4MATIC+ has yet to be revealed.
