Skip to main content

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive: Mercedes-AMG’s most powerful car runs on batteries

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive front three-quarter motion viewMercedes-Benz unveiled a production version of its SLS AMG E-Cell electric sports car at the Paris Motor Show. Called the SLS AMG Electric Drive, it’s the most powerful car Mercedes-Benz AMG has ever built.

Replacing the SLS AMG’s 6.2-liter V8 are four electric motors, connected to an “axially-arranged” transmission and a 60-kWh lithium ion battery pack. The transmission, which Mercedes calls AMG Torque Dynamics, makes the electric SLS all-wheel drive and can power or brake wheels individually depending on conditions.

Combined, the four motors produce 740 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. That’s much more than the gasoline-powered 2013 SLS AMG GT, which produces 583 hp and 489 lb-ft. It also makes the SLS AMG Electric Drive more powerful than a Lamborghini Aventador.

With so much power on tap, it’s not surprising that Mercedes is claiming the SLS AMG Electric Drive as the world’s fastest production electric vehicle. The company says its gull-winged creation will do 0 to 62 mph (o-100 kph) in 3.9 seconds, and reach a limited top speed of 155 mph. That makes the electric SLS much slower than the SLS GT, despite the extra power. The SLS AMG GT will do 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 197 mph.

So far, the only serious competition for the SLS AMG Electric Drive is the Audi R8 e-tron. The Audi’s top speed is limited to 125 mph, although a test car’s was raised to 155 mph for a record-setting Nürburgring lap.

The liquid-cooled battery pack consists of 864 individual cells in 12 modules, and was developed by the same people who made the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) regenerative braking for Mercedes’ Formula 1 cars.

A full charge from a standard European household outlet takes 20 hours, but Mercedes will offer a 22 kW quick charger that cuts charge time down to three hours. The SLS AMG Electric Drive has a 155-mile range, although it probably won’t get that far if driven enthusiastically.Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive rear three-quarter view

If the car does run out of juice on the highway, that bright blue paint (an Electric Drive exclusive) should alert passers by to the driver’s plight. Besides the paint, there is little to distinguish the Electric Drive from a regular SLS AMG coupe. The electric SLS get a carbon fiber front splitter, a rear diffuser, and a grille with “bionic honeycomb-shaped” vents.

However, under the skin, there are more significant modifications. The body is a carbon fiber monocoque bonded to the stock SLS’ aluminum chassis. To accommodate the electric drivetrain, the regular SLS’ double-wishbone suspension was replaced with a multi-link setup.

The AMG engineers also needed to recreate an important aspect of the V8 SLS: sound. Electric motors are very quiet, and that is a problem for both pedestrians (who won’t hear it coming) and drivers (who will miss out on the aural experience). AMG designed different sounds for startup, wide-open throttle, and cruising, which play through the car’s speakers.

The SLS AMG Electric Drive goes on sale in Europe next year for roughly $536,000, or more than 2.5 times the cost of a regular SLS. Green speed is possible, but it doesn’t come cheap.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more
Audi Q6 e-tron ushers in the automaker’s next EV phase
2025 Audi Q6 e-tron front three quarter view.

Audi doesn’t get enough credit for getting luxury car buyers comfortable with EVs. While Tesla took care of the image-conscious types, the German brand unveiled its e-tron electric SUV in 2018 with the tagline “electric has gone Audi” in hopes of getting loyal customers excited about (or, at least, acclimated to) electric cars by pitching the e-tron as an Audi first and an EV second.

The e-tron wasn’t a one-off, either. It’s since evolved into the Q8 e-tron and has been joined by the sporty e-tron GT and entry-level Q4 e-tron. So, while some car brands are only just introducing their first electric models, Audi is ready for round two.

Read more