Beneath the swirly camouflage and those Miata-like taillights lies the first Mercedes model on the AMG.EA platform. This is a sports sedan designed from day one strictly as an electric vehicle to replace the current AMG 4-door coupe. The latter has already received the hybrid treatment, but its successor will forgo the combustion engine altogether in favor of a purely EV setup.
Judging by the swooping shape of the prototype’s rear, it will be a more practical liftback than a traditional sedan. This wouldn’t be a surprise since the outgoing model is also a five-door sedan, despite its confusing “coupe” name. A closer look at these official teaser images reveals an active rear wing and front canards. The production version should have several points in common with the AMG 2022 Vision concept.
The road model will be inspired by the Porsche Taycan by offering more dynamic driving than the AMG versions of the EQE. It will use disc-shaped axial flux electric motors with “an unprecedented blend of power density, size and weight” compared to traditional cylindrical radial flux motors. The folks at Affalterbach have already revealed that one engine can produce 480 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque while weighing just 53 pounds.
In addition to having new motors, the AMG.EA-based model is expected to use a thinner battery with an energy density increased by 40 percent. The dedicated architecture should also allow for a more spacious cabin without having to make compromises associated with ICE cars adapted for EV duty. This will be possible by lengthening the wheelbase and shortening the front and rear overhangs. The 2012 SLS AMG Electric Drive was an ICE-to-EV supercar.
Currently being tested on a frozen lake in Sweden in temperatures as low as -13 degrees Fahrenheit, the sporty electric vehicle is heading to other parts of the world for additional evaluations. We don’t expect the high-performance electric model to go on sale this year, but the official reveal could happen in late 2024 or early 2025.
