The curtain is closing on one of Mercedes’ most ambitious experiments. The 2026 AMG EQE marks the final year for the brand’s pill-shaped electric sport sedan, and fresh spy shots from the Nurburgring confirm a far more aggressive, far more traditional replacement is already lapping the Green Hell with up to 900 horsepower under its skin.
- The AMG EQE is being retired after weak sales and polarizing styling
- Its successor was spotted testing at the Nurburgring with up to 900 hp expected
- The new car ditches the jellybean silhouette for a classic three-box sedan shape
Why Mercedes Is Pulling the Plug on the EQE
The original EQ family was supposed to attract a new wave of luxury EV shoppers, but the slippery, pod-like styling alienated the brand’s core audience. Mercedes-Benz is in a rush to replace the pill-shaped EQE with a more conventional three-volume sedan, largely because customers disliked the uninspiring design of its EVs. The numbers paint an ugly picture too. The EQE sold only 4,000 units in the US during the first nine months of 2025, a 62% drop from 2024.
That’s a brutal slide for a car wearing the three-pointed star, and it’s pushed Mercedes to fast-track a fix. The launch of the replacement has been moved up to 2027, with the AMG variant trailing slightly behind the standard model.
Caught Lapping the Nurburgring
Spy photographers have been busy at Germany’s most famous racetrack this spring. Several Mercedes-AMG pre-production prototypes have shown up at the Nurburgring to take advantage of the weather, one of the first being the electric version of the E-Class. Even buried under camouflage, the new car looks nothing like the rounded EQE it’s replacing.
The EQ jellybean shape is gone, and massive wheels, rubber band sidewalls, and drilled brake rotors all make it clear this is an AMG. The canards up front and prominent spoiler on the trunk hint this will be more than a straight-line monster. Mercedes clearly wants this car to attack corners, not just drag strips.
Up to 900 HP From a Tri-Motor Setup
Performance is where the new car really takes a swing at BMW. Spies say to expect between 800 and 900 horsepower from the 5 Series fighter, far more than today’s BMW i5 M60, which tops out at 593 hp. The EQE it replaces was no slouch on paper, but it carried serious weight. Since the Mercedes-AMG EQE weighed over 5,500 pounds and made up to 677 hp, all that grunt will be necessary.
The power is expected to come from an exotic motor setup. The standard E-Class will use a dual-motor arrangement, while the AMG variant will run a tri-motor configuration. The AMG version is rumored to pack three Yasa axial flux motors developing as much as 939 hp (700 kW / 952 PS). If those figures hold up in production, this becomes one of the most powerful sedans Mercedes has ever sold.
A More Conventional Look Inside and Out
Design-wise, the new car drops the controversial styling of the EQ family. It’ll replace the slow-selling AMG EQE and lean toward a more conventional, and arguably safer, design direction, with a fully enclosed grille that should echo the one found on the C-Class and GLC EQs, plus a sporty front bumper and star-infused headlights.
Inside, expect screens. Lots of them. The model could follow in the footsteps of the electric GLC, which means a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14-inch infotainment system, with an available MBUX Superscreen adding a 14-inch front passenger display, or even the MBUX Hyperscreen and its 39.1-inch panel. Paddles behind the wheel may be used to simulate gear shifts or adjust the EV’s brake regen, or both.
Under the body, the car moves to a fresh platform. It will adopt the MB.EA-Medium architecture that debuted with the GLC, which lets the German carmaker speed up development.
Should You Buy a 2026 AMG EQE Anyway?
If you’ve been eyeing one, this is your last shot at a brand-new example. The 2026 model year is the end of the road, and once it’s gone, your only path to ownership will be the used Mercedes market. That could actually work in buyers’ favor, since steep depreciation on outgoing EVs tends to make them screaming deals a year or two down the line. The high-performance EV replacement will only arrive after the regular electric E-Class, which is due next year, meaning late 2027 or early 2028 at the earliest for the AMG version. There’s a real waiting period ahead, and the EQE still has plenty to offer drivers who want serious electric power right now without watching the calendar.