According to a report from Autocar on Tuesday, Mercedes-Benz AMG is in the process of developing an electric supercar aimed for a debut later this decade, although no sources were specified.
The vehicle will be influenced by the Vision One-Eleven concept introduced last year, which pays tribute to the series of C111 technological demonstrators that were launched in the late 1960s and into the following decade.
Additionally, the concept showcased the axial-flux motors created by YASA, a company specializing in high-performance electric motors that Mercedes acquired in 2021. Compared to conventional radial-flux motors with equivalent power, axial-flux motors are lighter and more compact; however, their production is more complex and hence more costly.
Mercedes plans to manufacture axial-flux motors at a facility in Berlin, with the first application anticipated to be a sleek four-door liftback based on AMG’s new AMG.EA electric vehicle platform, set to launch within the next year. Prototypes of this liftback, which will represent AMG’s inaugural fully dedicated electric vehicle, have been caught testing several times.
One of YASA’s axial-flux motors produces 489 hp and has a weight of just under 53 pounds. Mercedes is reportedly exploring various configurations, possibly including tri- and quad-motor arrangements.
The supercar is also expected to utilize the AMG.EA platform, and as per Autocar, it is projected to surpass the upcoming liftback in performance as well as outperform AMG’s One hypercar, which currently holds the production car lap record at the Nürburgring, with a remarkable time of 6:35.183 set in 2022.
While Mercedes has recently made strides in developing lightweight, energy-dense solid-state batteries, Autocar states the supercar will use liquid lithium-ion batteries instead, featuring a new cylindrical-cell design with silicon anodes.
AMG has significant expertise in electric propulsion, having first ventured in this direction in 2014 with the SLS AMG Electric Drive. At that time, it was the fastest and most powerful electric vehicle on the market, boasting a 740-hp output. Since then, AMG has gained further experience through its Formula 1 program, particularly in areas concerning energy discharge and recovery.
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