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mercedes-benz eqe-class Full OverviewThe 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE isn't the first all-electric car from AMG. That honor goes to the wild gullwing SLS AMG Electric Drive coupe unveiled at the 2012 Paris Show. Now a largely forgotten curio, the SLS AMG Electric Drive was at the time the most powerful AMG production car ever built, boasting 740 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, courtesy of four e-motors powered by a 60 kWh lithium-ion battery. Only nine were said to have been produced.The AMG EQE also follows in the wheel tracks of the larger, plusher AMG EQS sedan we drove late in 2021. But it's perhaps the most important AMG electric car so far, not the least of which because it will be the most affordable AMG electric car so far. Though U.S. pricing has yet to be finalized, back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest the AMG EQE should retail for about the same money as a Tesla Model S Dual Motor.Though two versions of the AMG EQE are offered in Europe—the 470-hp EQE 43 4Matic and the 617-hp EQE 53 4Matic+—the U.S. will only get the latter, and it will simply be badged Mercedes-AMG EQE.And in case you're wondering, there isn't an EQE 63 waiting in the wings. Well, not yet anyway: AMG engineers confirm the AMG EQE we're getting is the most powerful variant they will build on the Mercedes-Benz EVA2 electric vehicle platform that underpins the regular EQE and EQS sedans. Truly tarmac-melting AMG electric cars will be built on a new, dedicated performance EV platform currently under development in Affalterbach.That's not to say the AMG EQE is slow. Far from it. But first, the tech highlights.AMG EQE Power and TorqueThe dual-motor AMG EQE has a 221-hp e-motor driving the front wheels and a 396-hp e-motor powering the rears, the pair delivering a total system output of 617 hp and 701 lb-ft of torque. That's almost twice the power—and nearly twice the torque—of the entry-level, rear-drive EQE 350+. And in cars fitted with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package the boost mode function unleashes 677 hp and 738 lb-ft.The AMG-specific permanently excited synchronous e-motors feature improved cooling to allow repeated acceleration without performance degradation, and unique windings with thicker wires that carry higher currents with greater stability, enabling higher motor rpm and increased power. The rear e-motor is a six phase design rather than the normal three phase, to further increase its power output.The five drive modes—Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual—not only change the AMG EQE's chassis settings, but also significantly vary the powertrain output. Slippery mode restricts the powertrain to 308hp, Comfort to 493 hp, and Sport to 555 hp. Only in Sport+ are you able to access the full 617hp or more.The e-motors are fed by a 90.6-kWh battery pack that AMG says will deliver from 275 miles to 321 miles of range on the WLTP test cycle. That suggests a range of somewhere between 210 miles and 240 miles on the tougher EPA test.Chassis upgrades include AMG-specific wheel carriers, suspension links and stiffer stabilizer bars. The bushes between the body shell and rear axle subframe are 50 percent stiffer than those of the regular EQE, and the AMG Ride Control+ air suspension has unique mapping for the spring and shock rates. The system will instantly lower the ride height by six-tenths of an inch in Sport and Sport+ modes and keep it there; in Comfort mode that only happens when you hit 78 mph. Drop down to 50 mph, and the car will raise itself back to its standard ride height.Rear-wheel steering is standard, the wheels turning up to 3.6 degrees in the opposite direction to the fronts at speeds up to 37 mph to improve low speed maneuverability and agility, and in the same direction as the fronts at higher speeds to increase stability.Though the AMG EQE will recoup up to 260 kilowatts with the regen system set in its most aggressive mode, AMG's high performance steel brake setup is standard, with 16.3-inch rotors and six piston calipers on the front axle, and 14.9-inch units with single piston calipers at the rear. Carbon ceramic brakes are available as an option, but only with the optional 21-inch wheels. Standard wheels are 20-inch. Despite their aggressive styling, all the wheels have been carefully designed to reduce aerodynamic drag.The EQE Has Digital Sound Effects—If You Want ThemAMG engineers claim the EQE is only marginally less slippery than the regular model, despite its wider tires and more aggressively styled front and rear fascias. That contributes to one of the car's standout characteristics—its quietude, especially at freeway cruising speeds. But for a brand that's long been celebrated for powertrains that when you mash the gas pedal assault your ears like you're in the mosh pit at an AC/DC concert, that's potentially an existential problem.AMG's solution has been to create special electronic soundscapes that play through the audio speakers when you select either Sport or Sport+ drive modes. It may be a generational thing— gamers who've spent years listening to digital effects might think they're cool—but to our ears in Sport mode at full acceleration it sounded like an Airbus A380 on takeoff, while the Sport+ mode soundscape sounded as if Captain Kirk had just ordered the Enterprise to warp speed.Fortunately, you can switch the fancy effects off, either by accessing the menu on the center touch screen or using the shortcut on the steering wheel. Embrace the relative silence, and you'll start noticing subtle aural cues that are usually drowned by the raucous mayhem of combustion and mechanics; things like changes in tire noise as you approach the limits of adhesion through corners or under brakes, for example.Our test car was fitted with the optional Dynamic Plus package, which meant it had the full-strength, high-caffeine 677-hp, 738-lb-ft powertrain. Worth the extra money? Let's just say the way it delivers is right on brand.This EQE Is Definitely An AMGThe acceleration in Sport+ mode is neck-snapping, more instantly ferocious, more gut-punchingly violent, than in any internal combustion engine AMG car. Mat the accelerator and the AMG EQE launches like a fighter jet catapulted off an aircraft carrier. The traction is astonishing, and while the AMG EQE is limited to a mere—by AMG standards—137 mph (149 mph in Dynamic Plus-equipped cars) it gets there riding an endless torrent of weapons grade thrust. Like Porsche's Taycan, it has top end response few other EVs can match.AMG claims a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 3.2 seconds for Dynamic Plus-equipped cars, and 3.4 seconds for standard AMG EQEs. That's impressive, especially for a car that's claimed to weigh about 5,500 pounds. For context, Tesla claims its 670-hp Model S Dual Motor, which it says weighs about 1,000-pounds less than the Mercedes, is only 0.1 to 0.3 seconds quicker to 60 mph.Even more impressive, perhaps, is the chassis. While the regular EQE can feel a little floaty and detached when pushed, the AMG EQE remains resolutely planted, even when hammered over bumpy, tight, and twisting roads. The body control is excellent, and even in Sport+ mode there's a syrupy coating to the ride you rarely feel in an AMG car.Our test car was on the optional 21-inch wheels, with 265/35 Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires up front and 295/30 items at the rear, but in Comfort mode at slow speeds, the AMG EQE still rode more like a modern luxury sport sedan on low profile tires than a hair-on-fire muscle car, the impacts from potholes and random road acne well suppressed.Astounding Power and One-Pedal DrivingIt doesn't exactly shrink around you, the AMG EQE, though. It's still a big, very heavy sedan, and the high cowl and cab-forward stance means you can't see its front corners from the driver's seat, which makes it difficult to place on tight, narrow roads. But once you get a sense of its physicality, you can push it as hard and fast along any canyon road as any AMG sedan, exploiting the confidence of the chassis to make the most of its astounding instant-on power and torque.There's not much nuance to the weighty steering, though the front axle responds as soon as you pull the wheel off center, and the rear steer system helps snap the Mercedes into the tighter, slower corners.The asymmetric powertrain means that there's a bias to the rear axle when you go to power. Under full acceleration, 64 percent of the torque goes to the rear wheels and 36 percent to the front, and you can feel the front wheels helping pull the car out of a corner as the rears punch it hard past the apex.You can switch between three levels of lift-off regen using the paddles either side of the steering wheel. High regen allows almost one-pedal driving around town, while normal gives a similar lift-off effect to an internal combustion engine car with an automatic transmission. You can also switch regen off completely and allow the AMG EQE to coast.The coast setting is great for freeway driving, as it allows the car to make the most of its available kinetic energy, especially on long downhill stretches or with a tail wind. Normal is the best all-round setting for when you're hustling along a fun road, as it induces the gentle lift-off weight transfer to the front axle that's often so useful when setting up a car for a corner.AMG engineers say the regenerative braking system will recoup up to 260 kilowatts in the highest setting. We saw a peak of 171 kilowatts recouped in the normal mode while pushing the AMG EQE down a quiet mountain road, on a run that gave the brakes a real workout.The brake-by-wire system felt more natural than in the regular EQE, the transition between regenerative and mechanical braking almost seamless. As the steel rotors got hot, however, the pedal became longer in travel and a little less linear in feel. Not that the braking performance seemed affected; we could still get right to the point of ABS intervention on the inside front wheel on the entry to some of the tighter, dropaway turns.The AMG EQE's mass means you can't toss it around like a sports car, but if you're smooth and tidy with your inputs, it will cover ground with imperious, ground-crushing pace. And when you're not chasing ultimate pace, the AMG EQE is an oasis of grace.High Style and HyperscreenThe low noise levels, good rolling ride, and comfortable seats make it a superb highway cruiser. With the silly fake powertrain noises switched off, you can enjoy your favorite sounds on the excellent Burmester audio system, have a quiet conversation with your passengers, or just admire the scenery and enjoy the sunshine through the standard panorama roof.Like all modern Mercedes, you'll need to spend time hunting and pecking around the vast MBUX interface to find the settings and shortcuts you want, but at least you can turn off the annoying stuff like lane keep assist and tweak the powertrain and suspension settings independently, even within the main drive modes. Our cars were all fitted with the optional Hyperscreen that hides three smaller screens behind a dramatic sweep of glass across the dash.It's a fingerprint magnet, the Hyperscreen, but the third screen allows the front seat passenger to access all manner of menus, including the cool AMG-specific ones that show how hard the driver is working the car.The AMG EQE might be a new sort of AMG performance car, but the interior ambience—the sports seats and contrast stitching, the steering wheel with the control pods under the horizontal spokes and aluminum paddles behind it—as well as the exterior detailing—the more aggressive front and rear fascias, the big wheels, the wing on the trunk lid—is all familiar fare from the folks at Affalterbach.The chrome bars on the AMG EQE's 'grille' might seem a pointless affectation, but in truth they give the front end a distinctive visual signature that can be hard to achieve in an EV. But you'll just have to accept that this is an AMG car that won't have four bazooka-caliber exhausts peeking out from under the rear bumper.Which E AMG?AMG EQE versus AMG E 63 S? The E 63 S has the better power-to-weight ratio, packing 603 hp in a car that's 1,000-pounds lighter than the AMG EQE, and sizzling top end bite. But the electric AMG car punches harder out of corners, and accelerates in an irresistible rush that's uninterrupted by the need to change gears.The E 63 S's lighter weight, which makes it easier on brakes and tires, wieldier on the change of direction, and delivers higher steady-state grip, would ultimately give it the edge. But in terms of ultimate on-road pace on anything but an unlimited autobahn, there's probably not much between the two.Yes, the smooth and quiet AMG EQE is that quick, an electric car that delivers performance and handling that—like the most iconic AMG cars—simply bludgeons any road into submission. But it's not a hammer. It's a whispering assassin.Looks good! More details?2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE Specifications PRICE $100,000 (MT est) LAYOUT Front- and rear-motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 2 permanent-magnet-type electric, 617-677-hp/701-738-l-ft (comb) TRANSMISSION 1-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 5,500lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 126.4i n L x W x H 196.6 x 64.3 x 59.5 in 0-60 MPH 3.2 - 3.4 sec (mfr) EPA FUEL ECON, CITY/HWY/COMB N/A ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY N/A CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB N/A ON SALE Late 2022 Show All

The double whammy of increasing fuel and vehicle prices has a lot of SUV shoppers not knowing which way to turn. A more efficient modern ride could ease the pain at the pump, but with inflation and rising borrowing costs, many are delaying big-ticket purchases like new cars. Expanding a search to include slightly used SUVs with strong fuel economy might be the way to go if you're looking for an alternative.Knowledge is power, and in our methodology below, you'll find how we came to our tally. Most of the SUVs on this list are subcompact and compact crossovers, but a single midsize offering also managed to qualify. All received an EPA combined fuel economy rating of 27 mpg or greater, and a couple of the entries can be found priced from roughly $15,000. Keep reading to find out which used SUVs under $30,000 have the best fuel economy.About MotorTrend's methodology: The Buyer's Guide recognizes how important a used car purchase can be, which is why we take this so seriously. Our methodology considers many of the same factors in our new-car rankings system, starting with value. The experts at IntelliChoiceconduct extensive research to assess long-term value on 3-5-year-old vehicles, which means our picks start at the 2018 model year. IntelliChoice considers resale value, the cost of insurance, maintenance costs, fuel costs, and more. We prioritize models receiving a Good or Excellent IntelliChoice used-car value rating. An above-average J.D. Powerquality and reliability rating is also a plus. Any vehicle we recommend must have earned anIIHSTop Safety Pick award or NHTSA overall five-star safety rating, and have some used-car inventory with under 80,000 miles (the upper limit on many automaker CPO programs).

If you've ever been to San Francisco, you know one of two things: the pain of getting a parking ticket or the nightmare of trying to find a curbside parking spot. Street parking in other major metropolises such as New York City and Los Angeles isn't much better, but surely those cities can't match this: A couple in San Francisco had parked their car in their normal spot at the corner of Union and Larkin Streets, something they had been doing for years, only to find a parking ticket—and a freshly red-painted curb. Whoever painted the fresh no-parking zone for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA) even had to paint around the tire of their car, leaving an amusing (or infuriating) unpainted triangle on the curb.The story comes from an ABC7 sister station in San Francisco and it paints (no pun intended) a picture of a couple that has been wronged. It's rather understandable, too. From the images provided in the ABC7 report, the curb in question was so faded that one couldn't see that it was ever painted at all. Even worse, this curb has been this way for a very long time, with an image as far back as 2016 showing that the paint was just as faded as the image from 2020, and the day the couple parked in this spot.They say they never received a parking ticket until the day the SFMTA finally decided it was time to paint it. In fact, the painter had to paint around the tire that was turned into the curb, and there's now a blank spot in the paint where the tire was clearly sitting on the curb.One of the pair—who's dealing with chemotherapy on top of everything else—saw the ticket and the poor paint job and immediately contested it and contacted the news station. ABC7 then contacted the SFMTA and a representative said the ticket was issued before the spot was painted, according to their records. They even provided an image of the spot to show just how faded it was. With that evidence, you'd think the SFMTA wouldn't have issued the ticket because it was as faded as it was for over seven years, and they have evidence that the spot wasn't clearly marked until after it was painted.For now, the couple will have to wait up to 60 days to see if their ticket will be dismissed by the citations clerk or if it will be enforced. In the meantime, the couple have stated that this isn't the only challenge they've had with living in San Francisco—the husband had his catalytic converter stolen on another vehicle. They told the reporter that they're planning on relocating in the near future.