Mercedes-AMG has unveiled the GT 4-Door Coupe, its first AMG model powered only by batteries. Ars Technica's reviewer drove it on the road and on a track and wrote that the car is firmly planted and handles well on both.
According to the report, the car uses three axial flux electric motors built by Yasa, which Mercedes bought in 2021. In the AMG GT 63, the motors produce up to 1,153 hp in Boost mode, which lasts 63 seconds, and a nominal 711 hp. The AMG GT 55 produces a peak of 805 hp for 55 seconds and a nominal 557 hp. Mercedes says the 63 reaches 60 mph in about 2.3 seconds and 124 mph in about 6.8 seconds. The reviewer says he was able to use Boost repeatedly without issue.
The car has a 106 kWh battery pack and an 800-volt system. Mercedes says it can charge at up to 600 kW. In a demonstration, a track-spec AMG GT 63 peaked at 637 kW and went from 17 to 80 percent in about 10 minutes. Mercedes has not shared range targets. It also declined to disclose the chemistry of the non-conductive oil it uses to cool the battery, calling it a "secret."
The reviewer praised the car's braking, which combines regenerative braking with hydraulic friction brakes that use carbon ceramic discs at the front and steel discs at the rear. He also described the AMG race engineer control system, which uses three dials for response, agility, and traction. The car also has a synthesized V8 sound that the reviewer said he initially disliked but ultimately found enjoyable. The sound appears on startup and in Sport+ mode, and it gets louder in Boost mode.