A silent supercar? It seems to be the way of the future, and the way Mercedes-Benz is headed with their brand new take on the already-pretty-impressive SLS AMG monster.
In this version, MB has nixed the V8 growl with the soundless grunt of four contact permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors (say that four times fast). The 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive will deliver 740 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque.
Yes, you read that correctly.
And because it's an electric motor, the power is there from the get-go. No spooling necessary, just instant, brain-crushing, almost-silent speed (we'll get to that in a moment). And, yes, that's nearly 200 hp more than the petrol-fed SLS AMG.
The team responsible for the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) used in Formula 1 are the ones to thank for the 1,208-lb, 60-kWh lithium-ion battery that powers the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive with such brute strength. Through an axially arrange transmission design, the four wheels are driven selectively, which means torque distribution to each.
Recharging the 72 lithium-ion cells that are onboard the supercar is done via deceleration when driving, and can be achieved at home in 3 hours with an available 22-kWh quick-charge station. However, plug it straight into the wall and a full charge can take up to 20 hours.
On a full charge, Mercedes-Benz says you can travel up to 250 km. That's a massive range, however, we're pretty sure if you drive the way a car with over 700 horsepower asks to be driven, that range will dwindle pretty quickly. But really, who cares at that point? Oh, and it will get you from 0-100 in less than 4 seconds.
So, think a silent supercar is just too “weird?” Well, fear not; the good engineers at Mercedes-Benz thought of that, too. Upon startup, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive emits a sound, and under hard accelerationg (as is apt to happen in this vehicle) a “dynamic” sound is heard, as well as a little something while you're cruising to cover up the wind noise and sound of tires on the pavement.
Despite all the technological gadgetry, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive looks essentialy the same on the outside. Save for the futuristic honeycomb grille, functional air intakes and only a few colours to choose from (all in an exclusive matte paint finish dubbed “AMG electricbeam magno”). And beneath the bright paintwork, the AMG remains pretty much the same, save for a new digital gauge cluster that shows the onboard battery stats and other necessary information.
With a price tag of 416,500 Euros (as announced for Germany), the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive is nearly double the price of a gas-powered AMG.
In this version, MB has nixed the V8 growl with the soundless grunt of four contact permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors (say that four times fast). The 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive will deliver 740 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque.
Yes, you read that correctly.
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And because it's an electric motor, the power is there from the get-go. No spooling necessary, just instant, brain-crushing, almost-silent speed (we'll get to that in a moment). And, yes, that's nearly 200 hp more than the petrol-fed SLS AMG.
The team responsible for the kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) used in Formula 1 are the ones to thank for the 1,208-lb, 60-kWh lithium-ion battery that powers the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive with such brute strength. Through an axially arrange transmission design, the four wheels are driven selectively, which means torque distribution to each.
Recharging the 72 lithium-ion cells that are onboard the supercar is done via deceleration when driving, and can be achieved at home in 3 hours with an available 22-kWh quick-charge station. However, plug it straight into the wall and a full charge can take up to 20 hours.
On a full charge, Mercedes-Benz says you can travel up to 250 km. That's a massive range, however, we're pretty sure if you drive the way a car with over 700 horsepower asks to be driven, that range will dwindle pretty quickly. But really, who cares at that point? Oh, and it will get you from 0-100 in less than 4 seconds.
So, think a silent supercar is just too “weird?” Well, fear not; the good engineers at Mercedes-Benz thought of that, too. Upon startup, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive emits a sound, and under hard accelerationg (as is apt to happen in this vehicle) a “dynamic” sound is heard, as well as a little something while you're cruising to cover up the wind noise and sound of tires on the pavement.
Despite all the technological gadgetry, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive looks essentialy the same on the outside. Save for the futuristic honeycomb grille, functional air intakes and only a few colours to choose from (all in an exclusive matte paint finish dubbed “AMG electricbeam magno”). And beneath the bright paintwork, the AMG remains pretty much the same, save for a new digital gauge cluster that shows the onboard battery stats and other necessary information.
With a price tag of 416,500 Euros (as announced for Germany), the 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive is nearly double the price of a gas-powered AMG.
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| Photo: Mercedes-Benz |
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