Mercedes-Benz already has an outlet for its electric vehicles with the EQ range featuring E-Class and S-Class-sized sedans and SUVs, but the AMG portion of the electric range was hidden from the public until now.
On Thursday, Mercedes introduced the Vision AMG wearing both the proportions and the wheels of a true high-performance model from its base in Affalterbach, Germany.
The Vision AMG features a long wheelbase with a short front overhang and almost no shutlines between the doors, because it's only a concept. The windows are also painted in Alubeam silver, as is the body. It has a sharp A-pillar and the rear end is built for aerodynamics.
In the front the Vision AMG gets a closed off grille with an interpretation of the AMG bars that are illuminated. Three-pointed Mercedes stars are shown in the paint and as LED headlights.
"AMG is reinventing itself. As was once the case with our founding fathers, there has been an amazing feeling of new beginnings here in Affalterbach for quite some time now. The course has been well and truly set for an electrified future, and we've set the bar high," said Philipp Schiemer, CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH in a press release.
"We have already well and truly proven our expertise in this regard with the SLS AMG Electric Drive, our own E Performance hybrid technology and the first Mercedes-EQ derivatives. With this study, we are now offering a first glimpse of how we are transferring the AMG DNA into the all-electric future, starting in 2025," he said.
The company's current electric cars are based on the MEA (Mercedes electric architecture) platform. The AMGs will get a new architecture called AMG.EA.
Mercedes says that all of the concept's, and forthcoming vehicle's drivetrain parts will be developed from scratch, including the platform, battery and motor. Upcoming AMG models will use the company's Axial Flux Motor, which is both compact and lightweight, according to the company.
On those motors the gap between the rotor and stator is aligned parallel with the axis of rotation rather than radially like more common electric motors. They're simpler and lighter, and have higher torque density than standard ones.
"We haven't seen Mercedes-Benz really push the performance envelope quite yet with its EVs but that will soon change when the AMG.EA dedicated EV architecture earmarked for high-performance vehicles rolls out in 2025," Paul Waati, manager, industry analysis at AutoPacific told Newsweek.
"The Vision AMG is a sportier, performance focused follow-up to the Vision EQXX that debuted earlier this year showcasing aerodynamics and efficiency. The Vision AMG carries forward similar aerodynamic properties of the Vision EQXX but uses a long wheelbase with wheels pushed to the corners and powerful proportions that's more befitting of a dedicated AMG EV sports car."
Those 22-inch wheels with white lettering, star pattern and silver paint are all nods to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team.
The four-door Vision AMG looks to match up well against the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT. Those sleek sedans offer 750 and 637 horsepower at maximum, respectively, though base models are rated for 402 horsepower and 469 horsepower.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jake Lingeman is the Managing Editor for the Autos team at Newsweek. He has previously worked for Autoweek, The Detroit ... Read more
