New Mercedes-AMG EQ SUV will be the performance brand’s EV flagship
The Mercedes-AMG electric SUV should have hypercar-rivalling power and performance
All-electric SUVs span many sectors, from affordable runabouts to ultra-premium flagships. Mercedes-AMG is about to add the latter to its range and we’ve caught its new car testing once again.
Having received our first official spy shots in late 2024, we expect to see the Mercedes-AMG electric SUV launch some time in 2026. It’s so far unnamed, but it’ll likely include the ‘EQ’ moniker somewhere in its title - like the G 580 with EQ Technology, the all-electric variant of the G-Class.
Unlike the electric G-Class, however, the upcoming electric SUV will focus on performance. This is already somewhat obvious on the prototypes we’ve spotted on the road, thanks to the massive wheels framing suitably large brake discs and calipers, plus a sleek (for an SUV) profile to aid aerodynamic efficiency. AMG’s electric SUV has a relatively traditional two-box shape rather than an ultra-sporting fastback design, and a relatively long bonnet – in stark contrast to the EQE and EQS AMG SUVs currently in production. There’s also a raked rear window for an almost coupe-SUV look.
The heavy camouflage does a good job hiding the finer details, but there is likely to be a very large blanked-off grille panel using AMG’s signature ‘Panamericana’ pattern. Mercedes is starting to roll out a new star-style headlight signature in its cars, although we’re yet to see this transfer to AMG models. Along the side we can see the AMG SUV will use flush-fitting door handles, like many other Mercedes cars.
Rather than using an adapted version of the EVA platform that the EQE and EQS SUVs use, the super-SUV – and a super-saloon alongside it – will be based on the brand-new AMG.EA architecture. Expect the chassis to make heavy use of aluminium, employing a traditional skateboard-style layout and a large battery pack running on an 800V electrical system, with a clear ethos of ‘AMG First, EV Second’.
Both the SUV spotted here and the saloon we caught last year will have at least two electric motors, both of a new-age axial-flux design and significantly lighter and more tightly packaged than the comparable radial-flux motors found in most current EVs. These improvements in packaging could even see the application of three or four-motor layouts, giving the car total torque vectoring control across both axles.
At this stage, we can only speculate on the potential power output, but given that the new car will sit at the very pinnacle of AMG’s electric range – and that the most powerful Lotus Eletre produces 905bhp – in excess of 1,000bhp is entirely possible.
We also expect a full suite of high-end chassis technology, including rear-wheel steering, carbon-ceramic brakes and possibly active aerodynamics.
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