Mercedes has revealed performance versions of its new EQE electric saloon – they’re called the Mercedes-AMG EQE 43 4Matic and 53 4Matic+. Prices aren’t confirmed but expect to need at least £80,000 to get your hands on a 43 and closer to £100,000 for a 53.
So what do you get for your money? Mind-boggling performance is definitely on the menu, even from the ‘entry level’ 43. It produces a thumping 476PS and a colossal 858Nm of torque – it’s enough to get the EQE from 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 130mph.
Should you need more power, the EQE 53 gives you a massive 626PS and 950Nm of torque, getting you from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds and bringing the car’s top speed up to 137mph.
But there’s more. You can spec your 53 model with the Dynamic Plus Package, which brings power up to 687PS and 1000Nm of torque. That gets you from 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds and on to a 149mph top speed.
And if you wonder why the EQE’s top speeds sound relatively modest, any faster than that would flatten the battery at an alarming rate.
Behave yourself and the EQE 43 will go 331 miles on a charger, while the 53 will manage 321 miles. A 170kW fast charging ability means you can add up to 112 miles worth of charge in 15 minutes and the car’s sat-nav can plan journeys taking account of charging speeds along the way. The battery is warranted for 10 years or 150,000 miles.
While even the 43’s 476PS and 858Nm of torque would have translated into a fire breathing performance car just 20 years ago, you can expect both the EQE 43 and 53 to be relatively placid to drive.
A lot of that is down to the cars’ four-wheel drive systems. An electric motor on each axle means power can be metered out precisely, with none of the unruliness you’d expect of a petrol-powered performance saloon. Driving modes such as Slippery, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ mean you can dial up the power available from 50 to up to 100 per cent.
To that you can add standard rear-wheel steering that helps make the EQE feel surprisingly nimble in corners and air suspension that can be softened or stiffen to help rein in the EQE’s substantial 252kg weight.
You also get huge six-pot brakes that can be upgraded with carbon ceramics discs in combination with options; 21-inch alloy wheels.
While the EQE 43 and 53 give a new slant on how a performance Mercedes delivers its power, it also brings a new approach to styling. You get the usual big wheels and body kit but the finished result looks subtler than the petrol AMGs we’ve seen in the past.
You can expect the EQE 43 and 53 to go on sale later this year, it will compete with models such as the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan.
