Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Hybrid: Enhanced performance, reduced emissions

Here's an interesting fact to start with: the introduction of the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Hybrid doesn't replace the GLE 53. The new plug-in hybrid and the previously available mild hybrid will coexist under the same designation. However, the Hybrid designation indicates a more versatile and powerful drive system. Get ready for some math as we dive into the details.

Like the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid, the inline six-cylinder engine of the GLE 53 has been modified and now delivers 449 HP instead of 435 HP in the Hybrid variant. Engineers removed the electric compressor assist and added an electric motor instead. The synchronous machine is weaker than the E 53 Hybrid, delivering 136 HP instead of 163 HP. As a result, the total power of the hybrid system is 544 HP, compared to 585-612 HP in the E-Class AMG. Interestingly, the total torque is the same in the E 53 and GLE 53 Hybrid, at 553 lb-ft. Compared to the regular GLE 53, the new Hybrid version has a 109 HP and 170 lb-ft advantage.

The trick of the GLE 53 Hybrid is its ability to run on electricity. This is significant for markets where low CO2 emissions are tax-favoured (the US does not fall into this category), but it's even more important for the fleet emissions of AMG models. The GLE 53 Hybrid carries a massive battery under the trunk with a gross capacity of 31.2 kWh, of which 24.1 kWh is usable. This energy reserve allows for a WLTP range of 80 to 87 kilometres per charge (depending on equipment, wheels, and body type). The range is not as large as in the E53 or other plug-in GLEs but still sufficient for daily urban and suburban commutes.

An 11 kW AC charger is standard equipment, with an optional fast-charging function delivering up to 60 kW. In optimal conditions, recharging from 10 to 80 percent takes only 20 minutes.

Unfortunately, these capabilities come with an increase in weight. The Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Hybrid weighs 2,800 kg (in the SUV variant, according to EU standards, including the driver and 75 kilograms of luggage). That's 425 kg more than the regular GLE 53 without this large traction battery.

So now you know why the hybrid version also needs more "horses and torque." Thanks to them, the GLE 53 Hybrid boasts a shorter 0-96 km/h acceleration time and a marginally better power-to-weight ratio. The 544 HP plug-in hybrid reaches 96 kilometres per hour in 4.7 seconds, 0.3 seconds faster than the 435 HP version. In the former, each horsepower corresponds to 5.14 kg. In the latter – 5.45 kg.

Naturally, anyone who pays attention to the power-to-weight ratio wouldn't lust after a 2,800 kg SUV and, if pressed to the wall, would still opt for the 612 HP GLE 63 S with a twin-turbo V8 and send it to Brabus. But first, these are Germans, and the performance must align, and second, such are the times we live in. I will remind you that the new BMW M5 weighs 2,500 kg, and I am just as concerned as you. Weighing less was in the past, and no manufacturer in this class is willing to play with carbon to reduce the weight of plug-in hybrids.

Returning to the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Hybrid: you can recognize it from the outside primarily by the thick red GLE 53 badges, Turbo Hybrid labels on the fenders, and the charging port cover. The additional radiator is less conspicuous behind the enlarged lower air intake on the bumper. The car rolls on sleek 21-inch wheels as standard, hiding massive perforated discs with a diameter of 40 cm in the front and 37 cm in the rear. Up front, work six-piston callipers – they must be very resilient.

Due to the significantly higher weight, the AMG Ride Control+ suspension required adjustments – in terms of both software and hardware. The GLE 53 Hybrid comes standard with pneumatic suspension and adaptive damping. Different stabilizers, shock absorber mounts, and even the rear shock absorbers had to be used. At AMG, they demand a lot from themselves, but unfortunately, they couldn't fit rear-axle steering here.

It's a pity because the rear steering wheels provide fantastic agility in the lower and lighter (though also not light) E 53 Hybrid. The huge GLE 53 Hybrid doesn't give the driver the same sense of skill in corners, but it doesn't drive like a barge, either. AMG's magic worked, and the GLE 53 Hybrid can be quite precisely maneuvered into corners without ESP intervening at every attempt to tighten the curve radius – which has been specially calibrated for this version. The GLE 53 Hybrid is not afraid of tight bends and hairpin turns, but it prefers carving drives through winding hills on German country roads. Yet anyone who has driven "cats" among SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne with active body stabilization knows that physics can be tricked more, and AMG hasn't deployed all their tricks here.

The true satisfaction in the GLE 53 Hybrid comes at the moment of straightening the front wheels and pressing the right foot at the exit of a curve. Don't expect excessive brutality and a neck-snap kick – this drive system, even in Sport+ mode, operates relatively harmoniously and delivers power rather smoothly as for AMG. The sound of the inline six may not be particularly typical for Affalterbach bands, but it is more distinctive than, for example, in the E 53 Hybrid. In the sharpest drive system setting, it releases a bit of "popcorn" from the exhaust and, at high revs, sounds more enjoyable to the ear and more natural than the E 53.

The promises of electric range should roughly match reality because in the test unit, with a 95 percent battery charge at the start, the computer predicted 77 kilometres of electric driving. Thanks to the electric motor generating 480 Nm of torque immediately, brisk starts are not a problem, but then the electric motor seems to run out of breath—136 HP against 2,800 kg is not an easy task. Reaching the maximum of 140 km/h in electric mode requires patience, which AMG enthusiasts might lack.

Only at highway speeds does the GLE 53 Hybrid begin to feel in its element, revealing its most valuable qualities at speeds legally achievable only in Germany – fortunately, the route included sections without limits. The GLE has a fantastically sound-insulated cabin, very comfortable seats, a standard Burmester sound system, and suspension that doesn't detach from road reality like a typical Mercedes but allows relaxation during travel. And it performs best on long, relatively fast trips. Even though, due to the hybrid system, it has a reduced fuel tank – from 85 to 65 litres – and also the trunk: from 630 to 490 litres.

In terms of litres per 100 km, it can compare to diesel: on the route from Lech am Arlberg in Austria to Munich, the GLE 53 Hybrid was content with only 7.4 litres/100 km in hybrid mode, with the occasional heavy foot. Of course, we started with a fully charged battery, and only in this configuration does the GLE 53 Hybrid make sense. It’s a car for a rather specific buyer who doesn’t want to deny themselves anything but is willing to charge the battery daily. It might be someone who is already ready for an electric vehicle, but the current design of an electric Mercedes doesn’t appeal to them. Or maybe it’s also due to corporate policy because the average CO2 emissions per kilometre of this model are just 28-29 grams. And, of course, one must have deep pockets or the need to incur high costs in the company: the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Hybrid costs $128,190 as an SUV and $132,000 as a coupe – $11,790 more than the regular GLE 53. However, some options that you’d have to pay extra for in the lower model are already included in this price.