Mercedes-AMG Sees Big Opportunities for Performance EVs

While a number of automakers are rethinking their plans for EVs, Mercedes remains committed to the transition to battery-electric propulsion. And that includes its high-performance division, AMG. If anything, AMG CEO Michael Schiebe is convinced buyers “will jump into that new technology” as new models come to market.

Mercedes-AMG has never been shy about pushing the boundaries of technology. It delivered a shock when it launched an all-electric version of the SLS supercar back in 2014, and introduced the sportiest version of the battery-powered EQS sedan two years ago.

As with the rest of the Mercedes line-up, AMG plans to expand its electrification options with a mix of hybrids, plug-ins and all-electric models. Despite the slowdown in growth for pure EVs, AMG CEO Michael Schiebe is confident buyers will embrace this transition, particularly the eventual move away from internal combustion engines.

“Customers who came to the brand because of the V-8 did not come because they just wanted to have a big engine,” Schiebe told Britain’s Autocar magazine. “They came because they loved the technology that we put into the car. So when it comes to electric driving, I’m pretty sure they will jump into that new technology because it will be the latest and greatest that you can get.”

A brand in transition

The automaker first tested the waters for an all-electric model a decade ago when it launched the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive. At first glance, it was hard to tell it apart from the gas-powered version of the 2-seat hypercar, but its gull-winged body hid a 60-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack sending power to four electric motors, one for each wheel. At 740 horsepower, it made 118 ponies more than the most powerful gas model. But whether due to its roughly $500,000 price tag or a mere 120 miles range, sales barely climbed out of the double digits.

It took nearly a decade before AMG put its badge on another EV, the top-performance version of the quirky Mercedes EQS sedan. The EQS 53 4Matic+ introduced a handful of design tweaks, starting with an A-wing up front, a large rear diffuser and a six-fin diffuser under the back bumper. Buyers also got a choice of two powertrain options, the “base” AMG making 658 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. The upgrade bumps that to 761, with torque jumping to 752 pound-feet.

AMG’s transition to all-electric propulsion is happening in stages, however. The performance division is, for now, putting its primary emphasis on plug-in hybrids like the 2024 Mercedes-AMG C63. It draws power from a package pairing a 2.0-liter turbo-four with a single electric motor. Their combined output is a beefy 671 horsepower. By comparison, the prior generation C63, with its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, maxxed out at 503 hp.

What’s coming

Back in December 2021, former AMG Chief Philipp Schiemer told Headlight.News that “Our battery-electric (product) range will be growing very soon.”

Schiemer offered few additional details, and his successor, Schiebe, has been tight-lipped, as well. But some information has leaked out. For one thing, AMG is known to be working up a unique platform that will be used exclusively for high-performance EVs. The AMG.EA architecture won’t be shared with the rest of the Mercedes family.

One of the most notable features is expected to be the use of an entirely new motor technology developed by British start-up Yasa – which Mercedes acquired several years ago. Its axial flux e-motors promise to deliver a significantly higher power-to-weight ration than the motors the German automaker currently uses. The AMG.EA platform will use an 800-volt electrical system capable of not only delivering more energy to the wheels but also adding the ability to charge up faster. And, word has it, future EVs will be powered by upgraded lithium-ion battery technology.

We could see this all come together in a new hypercar that will be the battery-electric alternative to the new Mercedes-AMG One that just set a new lap record on the Nurburgring. It’s believed to be based on the Vision One-Eleven concept vehicle unveiled last year.

More Mercedes Electric News

• First Drive: 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4Matic
  
• Mercedes Launches High-Performance Public Charging Network
• Mercedes Set to Take on Tesla with Electric CLA

The death of the AMG V-8 has been greatly exaggerated

All that said, don’t expect to see AMG go all-electric in the near-term. In fact, the automaker has confirmed it is still working up new internal combustion engines – including a new V-8.

Despite CEO Schiebe’s optimism, AMG buyers continue to have a special place in their hearts for gas power – perhaps because of the brand’s traditional mantra, “one man, one engine,” meaning a single tech worked on the powertrain from start to finish. That’s going to be hard to carry forward with an EV.

Reception for the new C63, despite its significant performance upgrade, has apparently fallen short of expectations, noted Motor1, pointing to the hefty incentives being used to be the model in some markets.

“For some customers, they take time to really be excited for the technology,” the AMG CEO told Autocar.

Even so, the performance arm of Mercedes is clearly committed to a transition to electric propulsion. The question isn’t “if,” but “when.”