Range is almost everything when it comes to electric vehicles. It is therefore surprising to hear that many hybrid cars, even plug-in hybrids, offer very little all-electric range. In the case of fast hybrids like the elegant name Mercedes-AMG GT 63 SE PERFORMANCE Coupe, this is an intentional decision. Its 9-mile electric range is more or less just a nice perk.
AMG’s new two-door performance offering has a battery pack as it matches well with a high-performance combustion drivetrain. The car’s 400-volt hybrid system consists of 560 individual cells optimized to deliver high charge and discharge rates, as opposed to a massive amount of energy. Its 6.1 kWh battery can discharge up to 204 horsepower (150 kilowatts) in one go. That’s more power than the outgoing Chevrolet Bolt, despite a pack less than 1/10th the size. It can also absorb 134 horsepower (100 kW) from the wheels, twice as fast as the Bolt could charge from an outlet.
26 Pictures
Battery cell and pack design is all about compromise. Factors such as power density, energy density, lifespan, cost, etc. must be balanced to produce the correct solution for the car in question. A low-consumption electric vehicle like a Fiat 500E is optimized to provide maximum range at the expense of power output. Its 42 kWh battery can only deliver 117 hp (86 kW), but it can go 149 miles on a charge. The Corvette E-Ray, on the opposite end of the spectrum, has a small pack; only 1.1 kWh is usable. Despite this, it can regenerate more power under braking than the Fiat can put to the ground in anger. The E-Ray’s battery looks like a capacitor and is energy dense, not energy dense.
The AMG’s hybrid system is the same way. It is a complement to the existing combustion transmission, increasing both performance And efficiency. Keep in mind that the new 816 hp Mercedes in question only emits 188 g/km of CO2, which is equivalent to a 382 hp BMW M340i xDrive.
So while kilowatt hours and range are the main numbers for BEVs and PHEVs, they are far from enough. The world of hybrid cars in particular is complicated by the realities of higher lifespan requirements and other constraints that make their battery design an interesting challenge. This challenge should be appreciated – it is very interesting – and should not simply be dismissed as little range in cars that should always have more.
Range is almost everything when it comes to electric vehicles. It is therefore surprising to hear that many hybrid cars, even plug-in hybrids, offer very little all-electric range. In the case of fast hybrids like the elegant name Mercedes-AMG GT 63 SE PERFORMANCE Coupe, this is an intentional decision. Its 9-mile electric range is more or less just a nice perk.
AMG’s new two-door performance offering has a battery pack as it matches well with a high-performance combustion drivetrain. The car’s 400-volt hybrid system consists of 560 individual cells optimized to deliver high charge and discharge rates, as opposed to a massive amount of energy. Its 6.1 kWh battery can discharge up to 204 horsepower (150 kilowatts) in one go. That’s more power than the outgoing Chevrolet Bolt, despite a pack less than 1/10th the size. It can also absorb 134 horsepower (100 kW) from the wheels, twice as fast as the Bolt could charge from an outlet.
26 Pictures
Battery cell and pack design is all about compromise. Factors such as power density, energy density, lifespan, cost, etc. must be balanced to produce the correct solution for the car in question. A low-consumption electric vehicle like a Fiat 500E is optimized to provide maximum range at the expense of power output. Its 42 kWh battery can only deliver 117 hp (86 kW), but it can go 149 miles on a charge. The Corvette E-Ray, on the opposite end of the spectrum, has a small pack; only 1.1 kWh is usable. Despite this, it can regenerate more power under braking than the Fiat can put to the ground in anger. The E-Ray’s battery looks like a capacitor and is energy dense, not energy dense.
The AMG’s hybrid system is the same way. It is a complement to the existing combustion transmission, increasing both performance And efficiency. Keep in mind that the new 816 hp Mercedes in question only emits 188 g/km of CO2, which is equivalent to a 382 hp BMW M340i xDrive.
So while kilowatt hours and range are the main numbers for BEVs and PHEVs, they are far from enough. The world of hybrid cars in particular is complicated by the realities of higher lifespan requirements and other constraints that make their battery design an interesting challenge. This challenge should be appreciated – it is very interesting – and should not simply be dismissed as little range in cars that should always have more.