Gas stations used to love cars like this. Mid-size four-doors with ridiculous horsepower under the hood. They'd suck down the gas by the tankful---often with single-digit mpg readings.
The 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE sedan has 617 horsepower---701 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 60 in 2.8 seconds. Just one problem if you're a gas station owner. It's an electric.
No gas tank. Can't even raise the hood. Unless you can make a business out of selling windshield washer fluid, you're not gonna make a dime from this. The Mercedes-AMG EQE is the high-performance version of the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 I reviewed back in April. It's for the luxury EV owner who yawns at the idea of going from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds. Those who want to travel great lengths on a single charge---well, neither car is a world beater. The EQE 500 can manage 260 miles, which is rapidly becoming the minimum buy-in for EVs. The Mercedes-AMG EQE, according to the EPA, might squeeze 225 miles out of those electrons. As with the old internal combustion muscle cars, going fast and going far without stopping to refuel are mutually exclusive. It's just that this time, the electric utilities and the EV charging companies are going to be the ones making money off that fundamental fact.
Inside, the AMG EQE differs from the Benz EQE mainly in materials---grippier suede seats replace quilted leather---bright red seat belts, drilled metal pedals and a sport steering wheel make it clear that this one is the performance model.
Base price of the 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE is $108,050 including destination---a $21,000 premium over the Mercedes-Benz EQE 500. Apart from the aforementioned power and interior materials, standard equipment includes the AMG Track Pace app, Dynamic select, an AMG Performance 4MATIC+ variable all-wheel drive system, AMG high-performance compound brakes, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen, navigation with augmented reality, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multicontour front seats with massage function, heated front seats with memory, a heated steering wheel, ambient lighting, a power panoramic moonroof, and a tremendous Burmester 3D surround audio system.
Our tester also had some extra-cost options---$1,250 for the Winter Package (heated windshield, heated windshield washer system, heated rear seats), $750 for the AMG Night Package (black trim), $5,400 for the AMG Carbon Ceramic Braking system, $250 for a 110-volt charging cable, $1,100 for the Acoustic Comfort Package, $450 for Energizing Air Control Plus w/ HEPA filter, and $1,400 for 21-inch AMG black Y-spoke wheels.
There was also a $100 credit for missing standard hands-free access (the car must have been built during the supply chain issues), so the bottom line on the window sticker comes to $118,550, which is a little under 20 grand more than the EQE 500.
Whether it's worth that premium depends on your priorities. Is your motto "speed uber alles" even in an increasingly electric world where standard EVs knock back 0-60 and quarter-mile times that rival the best of the 1960s muscle cars? If so, then the AMG-EQE will make you smile. And make gas station owners cry.
