Spy Shots: Mercedes officially reveals development of electric SLS AMG supercar

As hinted at last week, the car will bear the same name as its V8-engined counterpart, the standard SLS AMG, but instead of pumping 571hp out of a single engine, the electric drive SLS AMG will generate a total of 525hp from its four corner-mounted electric motors. Torque of the electric model tops out at a heady 650lb-ft.


Electricity is held by many in the industry to be the true way of the future, but so far only a tiny handful of companies have made serious attempts at a highway-capable production electric vehicle - and aside from the electric Smart, Daimler and Mercedes-Benz haven't been among them. But now the brand's AMG division is skipping straight over the mundane family tourer, today officially announcing development of an all-electric supercar built on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG platform.


"With the SLS AMG with electric drive, we wanted to redefine the super sports car. For us, it is not just about responsibility. We attach just as much importance to excitement and classic AMG performance," said Volker Mornhinweg, Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.


By using four motors, the SLS AMG's all-wheel drive system can modulate power to each individual wheel far more precisely and efficiently than any torque vectoring solution. Two transmissions - one for each axle - help to distribute power. Mercedes intentionally skipped mounting the motors in the wheels to reduce unsprung weight.


Of course, the electric SLS AMG will have a good deal of weight to deal with in the form of its 400V, 48kWh total battery pack, which will be located where the transmission tunnel is in the V8 model, while the engine bay will also be used for some of the electronics. Despite the addition of all the new drivetrain equipment, the Gullwing's body required no structural modifications, and due to the modularity of the electric drive system, it can all be positioned very low in the chassis to improve the center of gravity.


Performance of the car will be very close to the combustion-engine version, with 0-62mph slipping by in just 4.0 seconds - 0.2 seconds off the V8 pace.


Unfortunately, no clear time frame for the car's development and release was announced, so we'll likely have to wait several years before it hits the streets. Also undisclosed is the electric SLS AMG's range on a single charge.
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Audi working on new E1 minicar

Even as fuel prices slide back down to pre-crunch levels, the automotive industry knows it's only a temporary respite and continues its gear-up for a new layer of premium small cars. On the German front, BMW is thought to be working on a sub-1-series mini car, Daimler already has its Smart, and soon Audi will join the club with its own fuel-sipping urban warrior.

The latest reports indicate the car will be based around the same platform as VW's up, and will do battle with the likes of Ford's Ka, Toyota iQ and the Fiat 500. The car is expected to be called the E1 and it is to be the entry to a range of new ‘ecological’ models, which will span everything from minicars to performance models.

Power will come from a 600cc turbocharged two-cylinder engine in either petrol or diesel guises. The small engines will certainly be underpowered for extended highway use, but with CO2 emissions under 100g/km and about 80mpg (2.9L/100km) fuel efficiency, according to AutoExpress, the E1 will be an easy to operate, low-tax tool for getting around any major city. An electric powertrain is also being considered, but as yet no details on its capabilities have surfaced.

Positioned below the A1, the E1 would also get a 1.2L three-cylinder, which would be more highway-capable than its two-pot brethren. Nevertheless, the up! based vehicle will still be primarily targeted at younger, affluent, urban audiences with an emphasis on technology and style.

The fact that so much of the Audi city car's competition is gearing up for U.S. sale and/or production hints that the E1 could be sold in America as well, though poor exchange rates, high transport costs and a generally weak economy could conspire against such a decision. Nevertheless, given the expected production time frame, Audi should have several years to makes its decision.

While the VW version of the up! will be hitting the streets in 2010, the Audi variant will have to wait a while, and is not expected until late 2011. Production will be handled at VW’s plant in Bratislava, Slovakia, alongside the up! version as well as Skoda and Seat variants.



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