Something exciting has been teased.
As we’ve seen from any drag race involving a Tesla Model S Plaid, the future of straight-line performance is electric. Mercedes-AMG has already taken steps towards this future with the F1-inspired AMG One (with a hybrid V6) and all-electric models like the AMG EQS and upcoming AMG EQE. In a recent interview with Mercedes Chief Technology Officer Markus Schafer, Auto Express learned the German automaker will soon make another leap towards an electrified future.
Speaking about the efficient Mercedes Vision EQXX concept, which recently traveled over 621 miles on a single charge, Schafer said the company’s next EV will “cover the more sporty side.” This could be exciting.
RM Sotheby’s
RM Sotheby’s
Mercedes-Benz
“My team are so excited, they have tons of ideas for what’s next. If EQXX is just covering the efficiency side of e-mobility and taking it to the extreme, I would like to cover another side, which is the more sporty side,” Schafer explained. “You know that we have our sub-brands like AMG, and they are also turning electric. We would like to also tell the story of what’s happening on the EV sports side of the house in the next couple of years, so I would say stay tuned, there will be some news in the next few weeks of what we’re doing on the power/EV/sporty side.”
That is a pretty short wait before we see another big announcement from AMG. But what will this mystery EV be? Schafer also spoke about how Mercedes will use tech from F1 and Formula E on future road cars, and we’ve already seen the fruits of these efforts with the EQXX and the SL 43 with F1-inspired engine tech.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
“We’re using it [F1 tech] now,” Schafer said. “Over the last two years, it was such a close cooperation that never happened before. We became Formula E champions and developed our e-motors in-house in the UK. The electrification side of F1 is increasing and in the next generation 2025/26 there’s much more focus on the F1 side on systems thinking, inverters, e-motors, and battery technology, so there’s so much carryover – the technology and the spirit.”
It’s unclear what performance-focused EV Mercedes plans to show in the coming weeks, but we hope the company will preview a supercar like the SLS AMG Electric Drive from 2012.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz