The 2026 Mercedes-AMG GLE53 plug-in hybrid has more than 500 horsepower, thanks to a new 134-hp electric motor and an updated 3.0-liter inline-six engine. The company that makes the GLE53 PHEV says it can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and has the highest output of 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. Mercedes hasn’t said how far the plug-in GLE53 can go on electricity alone, but a DC fast charger can charge the 31.2 kWh battery at up to 60 kW. Things are going to change in Affalterbach, Germany. First, Mercedes-AMG swapped out the C63’s loud V-8 engine for a plug-in hybrid four-cylinder engine. The GLE SUV is the latest model to get an electric upgrade. The Germans are now starting to make the rest of their range hybrid as well. Yesterday, Mercedes-AMG showed off the GLE53 Hybrid, a hybrid car with 536 horsepower. It will be ready in the US in late 2025. Now you can get the AMG GLE53 Hybrid The GLE53 PHEV comes in both traditional SUV and “Coupe” body styles. It has an electric motor that works with the regular GLE53’s turbocharged inline-six engine to make 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. The 3.0-liter engine makes 443 of the 536 horsepower. It has 14 more horsepower than a regular GLE53 because of better software and an extra heat exchanger. The constantly excited synchronous electric motor’s 134 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque get their electrons from a battery that can hold about 27.5 kWh of power. The plug-in hybrid motor in the GLE53 is said to reach 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. It drives all four wheels. There is an 11-kW AC and 60-kW DC charger on board the GLE53 Hybrid that charges the battery. This lets it go up to 87 mph on electric power alone. The range of Mercedes’ all-electric car has yet to be announced. There are new back dampers bump stops in the front struts on the plug-in hybrid model, and the air suspension is better. The front brake wheels are the same size as on the regular GLE53, but they come with six-piston fixed calipers instead of the two-piston units that came with the regular GLE53. The back discs have also been made more robust. On the basic GLE53, they went from being 13.6 inches to 14.6 inches. They are still using single-piston floating brakes, though. Mercedes also says that the all-wheel drive and handling systems are better than before. On show is the PHEV GLE53 The 2026 Mercedes-AMG GLE53 Hybrid has some minor changes to how it looks. It has new logos on the fenders and rear that make it stand out as a hybrid SUV. The front end also has an extra hole to let air flow to the new heat exchanger. Some of the new hybrid-specific infotainment screen displays show the charging state and the temperature of the battery. Mercedes hasn’t said how much the plug-in hybrid GLE53 will cost yet, but it will be more than the $87,900 GLE53 when it comes out in 2025. Information about the 2026 AMG GLE range will be “subject to future announcement,” but Mercedes did not say if the plug-in hybrid would be offered along with the current GLE53, which runs on gas only.
