Mercedes-AMG GT electric SUV revealed with 1,153 hp and 710 kW charging

Mercedes-AMG has revealed the GT SUV, a 100% electric performance SUV developing up to 1,153 hp thanks to three axial flux motors and DC fast charging up to 710 kW.

It’s AMG’s answer to the electric Porsche Cayenne, and on paper it’s perhaps more impressive. The first units will arrive at American dealerships in summer 2027.

AMG’s first in-house SUV

AMG has been preparing Mercedes SUVs for decades, but the company says this is the first full-size SUV it developed entirely itself. It’s the second vehicle with AMG.EA’s dedicated electric architecture, following the electric 4-door GT coupe revealed earlier this year, and it borrows that car’s motors and battery. Mercedes presented the AMG electric SUV with more than 1,000 horsepower in August.

Mercedes is launching three versions in the United States:

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• AMG GT 63 SUV: three axial-flow motors, 1,153 peak hp, 1,475 lb-ft, 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds (2.4 with one-foot extension), 168 mph limited
• AMG GT 55 SUV: three axial flow motors, 805 peak hp, 1,372 lb-ft, 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds (2.7 with deployment)
• AMG GT 53 SUV: dual conventional synchronous motors, 536 peak hp, 590 lb-ft, 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds (3.7 with deployment)

These are maximum figures, and Mercedes’ acceleration times remain estimates. Continuous power is 711 hp on the GT 63 and GT 55, and 362 hp on the GT 53.

Axial flux motors are the equipment of interest here. These are flat, pancake-shaped motors that provide much more power for their weight than the radial flux motors in most electric vehicles. Mercedes bought British axial flow specialist YASA in 2021, and the technology has already made its way to the AMG CLA 45 with three axial flow engines.

128 kWh pack and 710 kW charging

The GT 63 and GT 55 have a 128 kWh (usable) 800-volt battery, while the GT 53 makes do with 106 kWh. Mercedes uses tall, narrow cylindrical cells with an NCMA cathode and silicon in the anode, and claims over 298 Wh/kg at the cell level. Each cell is bathed in a non-conductive oil for cooling.

The charging specs are the most impressive we’ve seen from a traditional automaker. Mercedes rates the big-battery versions at up to 710 kW DC, with a charge from 10 to 80 percent in 12 minutes. This is enough to add up to 454 km (282 miles) of WLTP range in 10 minutes. The GT 53 peaks at 600 kW and reaches 10-80% in 11 minutes.

But there’s a catch for American buyers. Many of the fastest public chargers, like those IONNA is rolling out across the country, are rated at 400 kW. Mercedes lists NACS among the five charging standards supported by the GT SUV, so access to the Supercharger shouldn’t be a problem. The load will be close to 710 kW.

The fastest charger in the US pipeline is a 750 kW unit that has already been delayed until next year, while China already has 2,250 kW chargers in operation.

WLTP range is 620 to 700 km (385 to 435 miles) for the GT 63 and GT 55, and 597 to 668 km (371 to 415 miles) for the GT 53. Expect lower EPA figures. This thing is heavy: the GT 63 SUV weighs 2,695 kg (5,942 lb), even with a sliding drag coefficient of 0.27.

Fake V8 sound, rear steering and small trunk

Like the 4-door GT, the SUV benefits from AMG-simulated engine sound. In its AMGFORCE Sport+ setting, it reproduces the recorded sounds of a V8 on the GT 63 and GT 55, and a six-cylinder on the GT 53, with virtual gear changes that you can trigger with the paddles. Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius is a firm believer in the fake V8. Fortunately, there is a “Silent” setting – so fake sounds are optional.

Rear axle steering of up to 6 degrees comes standard. The GT 63 also gets AMG Active Ride Control+ as standard, which replaces mechanical anti-roll bars with active hydraulics and air springs.

Inside, there’s a 14-inch central screen merged with a 10.2-inch driver’s screen, as well as an optional 14-inch passenger screen. It’s a five-passenger vehicle with 21.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and a small 2.8 cubic foot trunk.

How it compares to the electric Porsche Cayenne

The obvious target is Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo Electric. Here’s how the higher trims compare, using each automaker’s numbers:

Acceleration is a dead end. The Mercedes has a bigger pack and charges 310kW faster on paper. Mercedes has not yet released prices.

Electrek’s point of view

Times 0 to 60 don’t matter much anymore. Every flagship electric vehicle now does it in 2 seconds, and the GT 63 SUV and Cayenne Turbo Electric are literally tied in 2.4 seconds. No one is cross-shopping for a 6,000 pound SUV at launch times.

What matters is the battery and the charge. A usable 128 kWh pack with silicon anodes, oil-immersed cells and a maximum output of 710 kW is serious engineering, and it puts Mercedes clearly ahead of Porsche on the specs that actually affect the way you live with an electric vehicle. That’s not something we could say about Mercedes’ first-generation EQ cars, and AMG deserves some credit for that.

But this is a halo product, and the market for electric SUVs over $150,000 is tiny. Mercedes knows this: it just removed the EQE and the Maybach EQS SUV from its 2027 lineup. And in the United States, there is almost nowhere to charge at 710 kW today, so buyers will mainly pay for the margin available on future stations.

Now I’m curious to see the regeneration of these axial flux motors. I’ve heard that they can recover so much power that they can completely replace the brakes, even in performance driving.

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