Mercedes Begins Road-Testing Electric SLS AMG

December 15, 2009

electric-sls

Just mere months after unveiling the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the engineers at Mercedes are back behind their drawing boards and this time they are reportedly hard at work with developing an electric version of the new supercar. In an interview with Autocar, AMG head Volker Mornhinweg assures that the EV super coupe is now being tested on the road and will hit all of its targeted performance objectives.

The electric SLS AMG will feature four individual electric motors that spin out 525 horsepower and 649lb-ft of torque via all four wheels. Combined, the electric motors are able to churn out enough power to propel the modern Gullwing from 0-100km/h in four seconds flat. The electric motors will be powered by three lithium ion battery packs that assure a range of 177km though all those cells will push weight up to a hefty 1815kg – 226kg more than the standard petrol-powered SLS.

If you’re worried that all those extra pounds will make for a boring drive, don’t be. “Effectively being four-wheel-drive does alter its character, but our torque vectoring systems give us opportunities to make it as good,” affirms Mornhinweg. “It’s important to get the emotional level of an EV right and we have some solutions.” We’ll have to wait until 2013 to find out for ourselves, at which time the SLS EV will hit the market, possibly for lease only with an unknown asking price.