Key Highlights – Mercedes AMG GT XX EV Concept
⚡ Power: 1,360 hp from three oil-cooled axial flux motors
🔋 Battery: NCMA cells, 300 Wh/kg, 3,000-cell pack
⚡ Charging: 850 kW DC Fast Charging, 248 miles in 5 min
🌍 Endurance: 25,000 miles in eight days, 25 world records
🏎 Performance: 186 mph sustained speed, 24-hour record 3,405 miles
💎 Team: 17 drivers including F1’s George Russell, full pit crews
Around the World in Eight Days
Mercedes-Benz is very pro EV. A few months back we announced that the company was road testing its new solid-state batteries in a modified EQS. Now, the famous German maker of high-class luxury automobiles just set 25 world records with its AMG GT XX EV concept car in just eight days.
Two of these sleek four door electric sedans just obliterated distance records in a big way. Thanks to the concept car’s 850-kilowatt charging system, it crushed the 24-hour distance record by nearly 1,000 miles. In a 24-hour marathon of speed and endurance, the AMG GT XX traveled a mind-melting 3,405 miles. That’s like driving from New York to Los Angeles and back in 24 hours. Sheesh!
How was this possible? The EV held a constant speed of 186 miles per hour, stopping only for super-fast recharging at record speeds. It took a carefully coordinated team of 17 expert drivers including famous Formula 1 driver George Russell.
The team of drivers worked in rotating two-hour shifts to stay ultra-alert so that the vehicle never had to stop due to driver fatigue. For eight days straight, the AMG GT XX blasted around the famous Italian Nardo Ring high speed racetrack. Pit crews kept the cars in top form and made sure they were charged.
The end results of this mighty marathon are nothing short of staggering. Remember the book and movie Around the World in 80 Days? The story followed the exploits of a fictional Englishman, Phineas Fogg who back in 1872, bets 20,000 pounds that he can circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days by using the latest technology.
Well, the Mercedes team managed to drive the equivalent of circling the earth, that’s 24,901 miles, in just seven days, 13 hours, 24 minutes and seven seconds. With two identical AMG GT XX cars on the track, both finished the challenge with just two laps separating them, proving this milestone was not a fluke but proof of Mercedes amazing engineering and its incredible team of engineers, race drivers, a pit crews.
The EVs didn’t stop until they had crossed the 25,000-mile marker, setting a new official benchmark of seven days, 14 hours, nine minutes, and 52 seconds. All told, Mercedes took 25 new records, covering every endurance milestone imaginable.
By the Numbers
But to really appreciate what this AMG EV accomplished, let’s look at the numbers. In the first 12 hours, the car covered 2,749 kilometers. At 24 hours it had traveled 5,478 kilometers. By 48 hours it had gone 10,859 kilometers, and by 72 hours it had been driven 16,250 kilometers. At the four-day mark, it crossed the 20,000 kilometers mark and by the time it had traveled seven days straight, it clocked 37,260 kilometers. Whew!
By the Tech
How was this possible? The answer lies within the beast where three, oil-cooled Yassa Axial flux electric motors produce over 1,360 horsepower. Two of the motors sit at the rear axle with compact gearboxes and high-performance inverters. A third motor at the front axle acts as a booster for when extra traction is needed. You basically have a rear-wheel drive car with all-wheel grip when required.
The battery pack uses new cylindrical nickel, cobalt, magnesium, aluminum (NCMA) cells that pack 300-watt hours per kilogram. The pack carries 3,000 cells, each regulated with a non-conductive oil cooling system for perfect temperatures under even the most grueling driving conditions.
The 800-volt architecture can utilize up to 850 kilowatts of charging speed. With a powerful enough Level 3 DC Fast Charging system, the car can recover 248 miles of range in just five minutes.
The Bottom Line
Besides setting 25 astounding endurance records, the AMG GT XX EV concept cars are leading the way for the next generation of Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles. Look for vehicles that will use this technology for longer range, faster charging, and superior performance to change our very concept of what EVs can do.
