Mercedes-AMG to build new, all-electric performance SUV

Mercedes-AMG, the performance subsidiary of the luxury car brand, has confirmed it is developing a new electric high-performance SUV.

It will be built in-house, joining the GT, SL, previous GT generation, SLS and AMG One as one of six cars built by AMG from the ground up.

It won’t be the first SUV the division will breathe upon. Before the full incorporation of AMG into Mercedes‑Benz in 2005, the outfit collaborated on the ML 55 AMG of 2001, which pioneered the modern performance SUV niche, and later the G55 and G63 AMG ranges.

The fast new off-roader is being built on the company’s new AMG.EA platform that’s earmarked for future electric high-performance AMG models, and boasting new innovations such as axial-flux motor technology.

Mercedes-Benz in 2021 acquired the British company Yasa, which specialises in the lighter and smaller electric motors.

Advantages of axial-flux electric motors include regenerative systems that can also perform the braking function, allowing AMG to remove traditional brake systems.

As driveshaft mass is also removed when placing the axial-flux motors into the wheels, weight savings are gained for improved performance, boosted driving ranges and better use of space for passengers or fitting of additional batteries. 

AMG says a high-performance, high-voltage battery will be used and is likely to benefit from AMG’s F1 experience, particularly in the areas of energy discharging and recovery, and perhaps also cooling. Development vehicles are set to undergo initial Test drives this winter.

“Our new high-performance architecture follows a clear philosophy: ‘AMG First, EV Second’. This means that the vehicles not only excel as electric vehicles but also embody the core AMG qualities of emotion and performance,” said Michael Schiebe, chair of the board of management of Mercedes‑AMG.