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Mercedes-AMG has revealed this upcoming performance version of the Mercedes flagship EQS electric sedan.The AMG EQS increases power by 133 hp over the new 2022 EQS580 4Matic, for a total of 649 horsepower. Adding the AMG Dynamic Plus package can bring that up to 751 horsepower.U.S. buyers will be able to see the 2022 AMG EQS in dealerships early in 2022, Mercedes said. Mercedes-Benz’s high-performance affiliate AMG has made a lot of different cars, from high-powered four-bangers to ultra-luxurious V-12 engines. At one point, they even made a super-efficient diesel. But a full EV was missing—until now. Here is the Mercedes-AMG EQS53 AMG+, a derivative of Mercedes’s EQS electric flagship.

The AMG EQS may be similar in name to the standard Mercedes-Benz EQS, but AMG has tweaked the car significantly. In traditional AMG fashion, it excels in lateral dynamics: Power rises to 649 horsepower, and torque is rated at 700 pound-feet. Thus powered, the EQS AMG is claimed to reach 62 mph in 3.8 seconds, with top speed governed at 137 mph.The miracles of motor management, available for purchase as the AMG Dynamic Plus package, can unlock a whopping 751 horsepower, another 50 or so pound-feet, cut the claimed zero-to-62-mph time by 0.4 second, and allow the EQS to reach 155 mph before it hits the governor. The power comes thanks to AMG-specific motors. They can recuperate energy with up to 300 kW, an experience sure to send the passengers into their seatbelts as the portly sedan decelerates sharply.No matter which output level you choose, the AMG EQS has the same battery pack as the standard EQS, with 107.8 kWh of usable capacity. Mercedes isn’t yet talking range for the U.S. market, and in fact we are still waiting on EPA range numbers for the non-AMG EQS, but we expect the AMG version to go a bit less far on a charge due to its higher power output and presumably lower efficiency.AMG has upgraded the cooling system and the driving modes, which put special emphasis on performance—understandably, since governments continue to stipulate that emissions equal “zero,” no matter how much energy is used in an EV.

Mercedes-AMG EQS53 AMG+ interior, with Hyperscreen.
Mercedes-AMG

Torque distribution is more rear-biased than on the regular EQS, and the chassis is significantly tweaked, including stabilizers, bearings, and rear axle components. The AMG-specific damper control is quicker and more performance-oriented, and customers can opt for a rear-wheel-steering system that allows for up to 9 degrees of steering angle, helping maneuverability. Carbon-ceramic brakes are optional.A plethora of software-based elements encourage the driver of this new AMG to hit the racetrack; the most playful one is the Track Pace feature, which lets the driver compare track performance with previous laps. And “when temperature and charging state allow,” there is a “race start” function that adds multifarious visual and sound effects.Outside, the status of the Mercedes-AMG EQS as the current top model is underscored by specific wheels (up to 22 inches), a front splitter, a bigger rear wing, and a diffuser. Inside, there are specific fabrics and decor as well as an AMG-specific interpretation of the content on the huge “Hyperscreen.”We can’t help but wonder whether this model is AMG’s last word on the EQS. But we are pleased to see it nonetheless, as a harbinger of even better things to come.
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Revealed at the IAA auto show in Munich, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE is the electric alternative to the E-class and part of a flood of coming EQ models from the automaker.First out will be the 288-hp EQE350, which has an electric motor on the rear axle. All-wheel-drive, 400-plus-horsepower versions with an added front-axle motor are coming.The official announcement of the EQE’s on-sale date won’t come until mid-2022.Daimler is launching an alternative to the conventionally powered E-class in the form of this EQE. The four-door fastback is to the E-class what the EQS is to the S-class. In fact, its appearance is even more dramatic: the shoulders are stronger, the tail is not as tall as on the EQS, and the front end looks unique. Yet it is based on the same EVA2 platform, and this means it offers many features that set the EQ apart from both electric and non-electric competitors.

Unlike the EQS, the smaller EQE doesn’t feature a rear hatch but a regular trunk opening. We have seen it on the road and the proportions are more interesting than the BMW i4 or the latest Tesla models. The interior is equally futuristic, with light colors and the optional, ultrawide “Hyperscreen” that stretches over the entire width of the cockpit.

Mercedes-Benz

But “Hyperscreen” also hints at a dystopian future: In Europe, passengers can watch movies, but the driver is subject to camera-based monitoring. If the driver dares to look at the passenger screen, the content is blocked. This despite a plethora of assistance systems which don’t pretend to be an “autopilot” yet in some ways, we suspect, exceed the capabilities of Tesla’s features.While the EQE will be available with self-parking assistants, it still keeps the driver in mind: If you prefer to maneuver the car yourself in tight spots, you will appreciate the optional rear-wheel steering systems that will—in the top level—offer up to 10 degrees of steering angle.The high-tech chassis features a four-link front and multi-link rear suspension and an optional air suspension. Built in Germany and in China, the EQE line launches with the EQE350, rated at 288 horsepower from an electric motor on the rear axle. All-wheel drive versions with an additional electric motor on the front axle will follow, and their power rating will exceed 400 horsepower. Look for an AMG version, too.The EQE’s battery pack has a usable capacity of 90.8 kWh, smaller than the EQS’s 107.8-kWh pack. Mercedes claims a driving range of 410 miles on the optimistic European WLTP test cycle, so we can expect its EPA range estimate to be somewhat lower than that.In its competitive set, which includes the Tesla Model 3, the BMW i4, and the Polestar 2, the EQE aims for a higher level of sophistication. Yet we can’t help but wonder if its power rating is quite enough to wow new customers. And, indeed, if it can match the needs of many current Mercedes-Benz customers who are perfectly happy with their gasoline-powered cars.We will find out when the 2023 EQE 350 reaches U.S. dealerships in mid-2022.
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Another in a series of electric-vehicle debuts happening during the IAA auto show in Munich, Germany, is this concept EQS from Mercedes-Maybach.Mercedes calls it a “near-production one-off,” which is good news for those who want their electric crossover to have every luxury.No release date was given, but the automaker said it will come out after the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, which goes into production in 2022. The Mercedes-Maybach EQS is a concept car that makes two distinct points: First, there will be an SUV based on the fully electric EVA2 platform, shared with the EQS and the EQE. Second, Maybach has a great future ahead. In fact, the EQS SUV that is previewed with this concept is light-years ahead of Daimler’s current electric SUV models, the dynamically challenged EQA and the similarly clumsy EQC.

Daimler’s new EQS SUV, which will hit markets next year as a 2023 model, will compete directly with the BMW iX, the Tesla Model X, and other fully electric upmarket SUVs. Unlike its lower-priced siblings, it will only be available with front and rear electric motors, providing both the power and the traction that buyers of the current GLE and GLS models can expect.However, the “around 370 miles of range,” obtained in the European WLTP cycle (which is overly lenient in a way that favors EVs), might be a bit of a disappointment for long-distance travelers, especially those who haul trailers and will see their mediocre range further diminished.But while these considerations may worry regular SUV buyers, they will hardly affect Maybach buyers, who will likely have staff move their necessary belongings well ahead of their leisurely journeys.

Mercedes-Maybach

Accordingly, the Mercedes-Maybach EQS concept and what the automaker is telling us about it both focus on more important things: like the two-tone paint with a chrome strip, 24-inch wheels, and a chrome rear spoiler. The electric powertrain is highlighted by a low front end that allows for somewhat dramatic proportions.Meanwhile, the interior that aims at providing an elevated and opulent traveling experience. We love the “faux fur” carpet of this unique concept. A flower vase “invites seasonal floral decoration,” and there is an integrated cooler for drinks as well. The white and blue materials are complemented by rose gold accents.In other words, the Concept Mercedes-Maybach EQS is nothing less than the fully electric equivalent of the stunningly capable Mercedes-Maybach GLS SUV, which is powered by the awesome 4.0-liter V-8. We look forward to testing it to see how it lives up to this high standard.
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This is the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG, a near-production example of the upcoming G-class EV. It’s a body-on-frame SUV with four electric motors and four-wheel drive.We expect to see a production version within the year, and it’ll join the EQB crossover and EQS and EQE electric sedans in Mercedes-Benz’s EQ lineup. Mercedes-Benz is rapidly adding models to its electric EQ lineup, the most recent being the EQE sedan and high-performance AMG variant of the EQS. Soon, one of Benz’s most iconic models, the G-class off-road SUV popularly known as the G-wagen, will gain an electric EQ counterpart that will look a lot like this EQG concept.

Mercedes-Benz

While most of Mercedes-Benz’s EQ models look funkier than their gasoline-powered counterparts, the Concept EQG retains the G-class SUV’s traditional appearance with its boxy proportions and round headlights. Mercedes says that this truck is a near-production concept. It rides on 22-inch wheels, and on the concept, the spare-tire holder in back features a lockable box that Benz says can store a charging cable.

The concept remains a body-on-frame SUV with an independent front suspension and a solid rear axle. An electric motor powers each wheel, providing four-wheel drive. Currently, the top G-class is the AMG G63, which has a 577-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 under the hood. Mercedes-AMG says it will make high-performance versions of the EQ lineup, as seen by the AMG EQS, so expect to see an AMG EQG, too. The EQG will likely be sold alongside the gas-powered models, as are the other vehicles in the Mercedes EQ lineup. But by the time it reaches the market, there could be competing electric off-roaders available: GMC’s Hummer EV will arrive later this year, Ford could have an electric Bronco on the way, and Jeep says it will offer an EV Wrangler by 2025.
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The signs have been there since the COVID-19 pandemic started, but with more people driving badly and driving habits changing, the number of fatalities in the first quarter of 2021 was the highest since at least 2009.The number of fatalities that happened in the first three months of this year was 1.26 per 100 million miles traveled, up from 1.12 in 2020, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in its latest report.The solutions are things we already know—less distracted and impaired driving, for example—but these messages aren’t breaking through the way they need to to bring the numbers down.The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have changed the automotive habits of U.S. drivers. First we drove less, then we drove faster while apparently paying less attention, and then the number of fatal crashes started to climb. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now released its numbers from the first quarter of 2021, and it turns out American roads got even more dangerous as the pandemic has continued. During the first three months of this year, NHTSA said an estimated 8730 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Since there were 7900 fatalities in the same time period in 2020, that represents an increase of about 10.5 percent.

In late 2020, NHTSA released fatal crash statistic estimates that predicted a 2 percent decline in the actual number of people who have died in motor vehicle traffic crashes between 2019 and 2020. That made sense, since the nation’s driving habits completely changed last year. But when the NHTSA factored in the reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT), the fatality rate actually increased. For every 100 million VMT, there were 1.06 fatalities in 2019 and 1.25 in all of 2020.When NHTSA ran the same VMT calculations, the number of fatalities in 2021 rose to 1.26 fatalities per 100 million VMT, compared to 1.12 for the first quarter of 2020. In both pure numbers and rate per 100 VMT, these are the highest first-quarter fatality rates since at least 2009, according to a NHTSA fact sheet.NHTSA doesn’t just want to report on how much more dangerous the roads are these days; it wants to make them safer. This is why the agency released a new edition of its Countermeasures That Work report alongside the new fatality estimates. This reports identifies the what kinds of actions can reduce road fatalities, and the suggestions should be familiar to most drivers: stopping impaired, distracted, and drowsy driving; keeping bicyclists and motorcyclists safer; and making sure people wear their seatbelts, among other options. This all sounds repetitive, sure, but imagine having to be the agency representative who has to keep telling Americans how to drive safer.

“We must address the tragic loss of life we saw on the roads in 2020 by taking a transformational and collaborative approach to safety,” NHTSA acting administrator Steven Cliff said in a statement. “Everyone—including those who design, operate, build, and use the road system—shares responsibility for road safety. We are working closely with our safety partners to address risky driving behaviors.” It’s important to note that these numbers are just early estimates, which NHTSA puts out regularly. They will be updated with more accurate figures when various agencies submit their numbers to the safety agency later this year, but the trends don’t look good.

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