Mercedes-AMG sets new EV distance records

A TAG team of 17 highly experience race-car drivers including current F1 contender, Mercedes-AMG Petronas team driver George Russell, have set new BEV world distance records clocking up 5479kms in 24 hours (1500kms more than the previous 24-hour record).

The team driving two-hour shifts continued to sprint 40,075kms in seven days, 13 hours, 24 minutes and seven seconds which equates to the Earth’s circumference at the equator.

In a nod to Jules Verne’s novel, the feat is referred to by Mercedes-AMG as “around the world in eight days" and was achieved at Italy’s Nardo circuit in a pair of 1000kW+ Concept AMG GT XX cars running production axial flux motors and a liquid-cooled battery from the upcoming high-performance AMG.EA architecture

A total of 25 performance records were set as the team averaged over 5300km per day most of it at 300km/h.

It was facilitated by the vehicle’s ultra-fast charging capability courtesy of 850kW system that is far beyond what today’s infrastructure can deliver.

The Concept AMG GT XX builds on Mercedes-AMG’s motorsport legacy and delivers a powerful demonstration of the performance of the upcoming high-performance architecture AMG.EA.

It is powered by a “revolutionary drivetrain technologies” set to enter production next year with AMG.EA models.

Three axial-flux motors and a directly cooled high-performance battery propelled the concept vehicles into a “new dimension of power and endurance” underlined by the latest endurance feat.

According to Mercedes-AMG, the run followed an exceptionally demanding schedule, the greatest strain on motors and battery occurring under high-load driving and high-speed charging cycles.

Drivers maintained a constant speed of 300km/h, stopping only to recharge then the vehicle accelerated back to 300km/h – over and over, day and night, for eight relentless days.

Interestingly, the XX is capable of significantly higher speeds but its pace was deliberately set by the engineers based on extensive simulations which according to these analyses, 300km/h offered the optimal balance between track speed and charging stops, delivering the fastest overall time.

The ultra-fast charging of the near series production powertrain was made possible by the High-Power Charging Hub, specially built by the Mercedes-Benz Charging Unit in Nardo, equipped with a prototype charger from Alpitronic.

Mercedes-AMG says this joint development approach of vehicle and charging infrastructure shows the potential that arises when both components are optimally matched. After each charging stop, acceleration to 300km/h followed again, until the next charging stop.

Conditions were far from favourable as during the day, ambient temperatures rose up to 35 degrees in the shade climbing even higher under direct sunlight on the exposed track but the car’s revolutionary powertrain “delivered flawless performance throughout”.

The test was not only a feat of technology, but also of teamwork with the pit crew handling charging and tyre changes and round-the-clock provision of fire and rescue services.

A remote support team in Affalterbach, Germany was permanently connected to the vehicles by remote diagnostics while external specialists including tyre supplier Michelin and charging station specialist Alpitronic rounded off the expert crew.

At the conclusion of the record attempt, George Russell, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team driver commented: “As an F1 driver, I'm used to pushing technology to its absolute limits – the Concept AMG GT XX really impressed me”.

“The axial flux motors respond as immediately and precisely as a Formula 1 drivetrain, but with an endurance that I have only ever experienced with combustion engines,” he added.

“This technology will revolutionise the driving experience, both on the racetrack and on the road.”