Mercedes-AMG GT SUV: 1,153 hp, 710 kW Charging — SkimNews
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Mercedes-AMG unveiled the GT SUV, its first full-size SUV developed entirely in-house, built on the AMG.EA electric architecture with up to 1,153 hp from three axial-flux motors; the first units reach US dealerships in summer 2027
- Three US trims launch with sharply different outputs: GT 63 (1,153 hp peak, 2.6-second 0–60), GT 55 (805 hp, 3.0 seconds), and GT 53 (536 hp, 4.1 seconds), though continuous output drops to 711 hp, 711 hp, and 362 hp respectively
- The 128 kWh usable 800V battery on the GT 63 and GT 55 uses tall, narrow cylindrical cells with an NCMA cathode, silicon anode, and 298 Wh/kg cell-level energy density, each cell bathed in non-conductive oil for cooling
- Peak DC charging hits 710 kW on the big-battery versions (10–80% in 12 minutes, adding up to 454 km of WLTP range in 10 minutes), but most US public chargers top out at 400 kW; China already operates 2,250 kW chargers, and the fastest US pipeline unit (750 kW) has slipped to next year
- The GT 63 gets AMG Active Ride Control+ (active hydraulics replacing mechanical anti-roll bars), 6-degree rear-axle steering, and simulated V8 engine sounds in Sport+ mode with virtual paddle-shifted gear changes — though a Silent setting keeps the fake noise optional
- Stacked against the Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric, the GT 63 ties at 2.4 seconds 0–60 but wins on paper with a larger pack and 310 kW faster peak charging; Mercedes has not yet released pricing
- Mercedes cut the EQE and Maybach EQS SUV from its 2027 lineup, even as it launches this halo EV — a bet that headline-grabbing performance flagships, not volume sedans, will define its electric future
Why it matters: Mercedes is staking its EV credibility on a charging spec (710 kW) that today's US infrastructure cannot deliver — the fastest US pipeline charger is 750 kW and already delayed — so the real-world advantage over Porsche's Cayenne Turbo Electric exists mainly on paper until public stations catch up, and the GT 63's 1,153 hp peak is nearly 40% above its 711 hp continuous rating.
Ask SkimNews
