Mercedes-AMG revealed its first electric SUV on October 17, and the numbers are aggressive. The top GT 63 trim makes up to 1,153 horsepower and 1,475 pound-feet of torque, and the quickest version covers 0 to 60 mph in as little as 2.4 seconds, measured with a one-foot rollout. The 2028 model year GT SUV is due at U.S. dealerships in summer 2027, with all three trims available at launch.
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Three trims, three axial-flux motors
The lineup mirrors the electric GT 4-Door Coupe. The GT 53 makes 536 horsepower from two permanently excited synchronous motors, one per axle, and carries a 106 kWh battery. The GT 55 steps up to as much as 805 horsepower and the GT 63 to as much as 1,153 horsepower, both using three axial-flux motors and a 128 kWh pack, according to Autoblog’s reveal coverage by senior editor Sebastian Cenizo. The GT 55 and GT 63 both get AEROKINETICS active aerodynamics, including a roof spoiler, and the GT 63 adds standard carbon-ceramic brakes, standard active ride control and torque vectoring.
All three ride on the 800-volt AMG.EA platform, offer all-wheel drive and use directly cooled cylindrical cells. The base car can decouple its front motor, and the rear motor has a two-speed transmission. Top speed is 168 mph, and the quickest 0 to 124 mph run is 6.8 seconds, with the same rollout convention behind both acceleration figures, per the Autoblog write-up of the reveal. The body-in-white mixes aluminum, steel and fiber-reinforced composites, and a plaque in the front trunk reads “Born in Affalterbach,” a line Cenizo finds cringey. The base GT 53 is the only trim with steel brakes as standard, while the GT 55 offers carbon-ceramic brakes as an option.
The architecture is not new to the brand. Mercedes-AMG’s own AMG.EA page describes a drivetrain built around three axial-flux motors and directly cooled battery cells, and lists the GT 4-Door Coupe, the GT 55 SUV and the AMG GT XX concept as vehicles on the platform.
The SUV against the GT 4-Door sedan and its rivals
The SUV is a tuned sibling of the sedan, and the sedan is quicker. Autoblog’s report on the GT 4-Door gives the same 1,153 horsepower and 1,475 pound-feet at the top of that range but a 0 to 60 mph time of 2.0 seconds, which leaves the taller, heavier SUV about four-tenths behind. Before the reveal, Carscoops had projected roughly 2.5 seconds for the GT 63 based on the sedan, a good guess that proved slightly pessimistic.
Against other electric luxury SUVs, the power figures are the main story. Bentley’s upcoming Torcal is rated at 810 horsepower in standard form and 875 in the S, with 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 and 2.8 seconds. Cenizo also brings up the Porsche Cayenne Electric, the BMW iX5 and the BMW XM in his comparisons, though the AMG’s claimed 1,153 horsepower exceeds the Bentley figures by a wide margin.
Range and charging on an 800-volt system
Autoblog reports up to 435 miles of combined range on the European WLTP cycle with the 128 kWh battery. Cenizo expects nearer 400 miles combined on the stricter EPA test, a caution worth keeping in mind because the two protocols often differ by a wide margin. The SUV is heavier and less aerodynamic than the sedan, and pre-reveal reporting from Auto Express had already guessed that it would not match the four-door’s maximum range.
Charging is where the platform is built to impress. The larger battery accepts up to 710 kW and the smaller one 600 kW, and a 10 to 80 percent charge can take as little as 12 minutes at a sufficiently powerful charger. On a 400 kW station, Autoblog lists 16 minutes for the 128 kWh pack and 14 minutes for the 106 kWh pack. U.S.-spec cars use the NACS port and can switch to a 400-volt mode at stations that need it.
Price, purists and the open questions
No U.S. price has been announced, and Cenizo expects six-figure starting prices. The reaction from the enthusiast camp is predictable: the editor’s own subtitle reads, “Purists didn’t like the AMG GT 4-Door, and now it’s available in SUV form. Oops?” He also notes the V8-badged sound recordings and the “One Man, One Engine” slogan the electric car quietly retires, and he settles the matter with a verdict of “Time will tell.”
The interior and equipment list is extensive, with a 10.2-inch driver display, a 14-inch touchscreen, an optional 14-inch passenger display, an optional Burmester 4D surround system and a panoramic glass roof. Cargo room is 21.4 cubic feet in the rear and 2.8 cubic feet in a front trunk. The drive modes read like a track-day menu, with an AMGFORCE Sport+ program that simulates gear changes felt through the seat, a drift function, launch control and a drag-race mode, plus the AMG Track Pace lap app. What remains unknown is the sticker, the final EPA range and whether buyers accept a 1,153-horsepower AMG with no engine.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.
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