Not that there was any other way to go about it, but it’s finally official. Mercedes is carrying the internal combustion engine ethos to the EV segment, too, concerning the AMG. The automaker will introduce high-performance AMG models to the EQ electric sub-brand soon. The company announced that it will be launching two EVs very soon, with one of them probably debuting later this year.

While sounds exciting at the onset, the company gave an idea about the performance numbers and it turned out to be a damper. To put things into perspective, the AMG EQ won’t be able to beat the Tesla Model S also. Not a very smart strategy, is it?

AMG EQ Performance On Par With Fuel-Powered AMG

AMG models are much different than the standard Mercedes models, but the biggest factor differentiating them is the performance. Mercedes should’ve announced the AMG’s arrival to electrification with a bang. But, what do we get instead? Performance specs that are on par with the current V-8’s performance. So, we’re looking at 0-60 mph times of around four seconds here. These numbers are not considered very impressive in the EV segment, especially when it comes to performance cars.

Mercedes-AMG announced that both the upcoming EVs will have motors on the front and rear axles along with a 400-Volt lithium-ion battery pack. The battery setup will have its own wiring harness and tech that will combine electric recuperation and hydraulic braking which the German automaker calls AMG i-Booster.

The automaker revealed that the performance of these EVs will be on par with the numbers derived from the 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 that the current crop comes with.

Not taking anything away from Mercedes here, but when you make your first-ever announcement into the EV segment with your performance division that’s highly desirable, there are a lot of expectations.

Everyone knows EVs are much faster than fuel-powered cars, and even though these new AMG EVs may be entry-level, the first impression lasts. Kia, for instance, announced the EV6 just a few days back. There are a lot of things to talk about that car, but the highlight was its ability to touch 62 mph from a standstill in 3.5 seconds. If you look at it from this point-of-view, the AMG performance EV that will be priced significantly higher than the standard model won’t even be able to beat a Kia!

What Else Do We Know About The AMG EQ Models?

On the outside, it will come with the typical AMG’s characteristic traits, like the redesigned front apron, rear with spoiler lip and diffuser, grille with vertical louvers, side panels, and AMG wheels in Aero or Heritage design.

Inside the cabin, the cars will come with:

-* Exclusive AMG seats with individual graphics

-* AMG-specific functions and displays for the MBUX touchscreen system

-* AMG Performance steering wheel with integrated buttons or wheel controllers

-* AMG optional accessories

We’ve already mentioned the battery and the performance specs. Apart from this, the AMG EQ will also feature an AMG Ride Control+ air suspension setup and additional sound emulators for a fake yet throaty grunt.

Final Thoughts

At this point the information about the AMG EQ is scarce, so people will talk about what’s known. You could discuss with your peers how it will have an aggressive sound emulator, the typical AMG aesthetic traits, and so on. But, the biggest talking point will be how fast the EVs, and unfortunately, that isn’t a breathtaking number that you would expect from a performance EV.

Since we mentioned Tesla S, let’s talk about the specs. For less than $80,000, you can get yourself a dual-motor Long Range model which takes just 3.1 seconds to 60 mph and comes with an EPA-estimated range of 412 miles. The Plaid model takes just 1.99 seconds, whereas the Plaid+ will be even quicker to 60 mph. The latter two, however, are exorbitantly priced and aren’t a direct threat to the AMG EQ models.

Forget about electric cars and sedans. Even the pickup trucks and SUVs from brands like Tesla, Rivian, and GMC, overwhelm these figures. We hope to see this AMG news followed up with some cracker information that gets us all excited again.