The CONCEPT AMG GT XX is a pioneering technology programme that offers an impressive insight into a forthcoming four-door series-production sports car from Mercedes-AMG.
With three YASA axial flux motors and a high performance battery developed from scratch, the brand from Affalterbach presents a revolutionary drive concept that enables a whole new dimension of performance, delivering more than 1,000 kW (>1,360 hp) peak output.
The groundbreaking high-voltage battery with direct-cooled cylindrical cells enables supreme, sustained performance on the road and at the charging station. The concept vehicle can recharge energy for about 400 kilometres of range (WLTP)1 in around five minutes
This four-door coupe is packed with innovations insite & out, and includes an abundance of technical solutions earmarked for use in the subsequent series-production models based on the high performance AMG Electric Architecture (AMG.EA).
"The best minds in our global R&D network have contributed their extensive expertise – from Mercedes-Benz in Sindelfingen and Untertürkheim to Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach and YASA in the UK to our Formula 1 drivetrain experts at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth.
Together, they have developed the CONCEPT AMG GT XX and are providing an insight into pioneering drivetrain technology and the future of performance. The technology programme pushes the boundaries even further and ventures into new ground. The CONCEPT AMG GT XX with its three axial flux motors now lifts performance and endurance to a completely new level"
In the almost 60-year history of the Mercedes-Benz performance and sports car brand, the drive was always the heart of the vehicle, bar none. The team at Affalterbach are continuing this tradition with the CONCEPT AMG GT XX, which introduces a revolutionary drive technology in the form of the innovative axial flux motor.
Its technological underpinnings were originally developed by British electric motor specialist YASA – a 100 % subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG.
For its application in the CONCEPT AMG GT XX and subsequently in series production, the concept was taken to a whole new level of performance. This was achieved in a collaboration between Mercedes-AMG and the technology experts from YASA.
The performance specialists from Affalterbach have also developed the software for the operating strategy, which optimally utilizes the high performance of the engines in the technology carrier. The innovative electric motors enable high power from an extremely compact package and enter series production at Mercedes-AMG in 2026.
Thanks to a peak output of over 1,000 kW, the CONCEPT AMG GT XX can reach top speeds of more than 360 km/h.
"The CONCEPT AMG GT XX is the next milestone in the history of AMG and forges a whole new dimension of performance. We’re bringing groundbreaking technology that redefines high performance. And the best thing is that this car is a true AMG with every fibre of its being. The heart of an AMG was always the motor, and that will remain so with our in-house electric architecture.
With our high-tech axial flux motor, we’re delivering a revolutionary new drive that is unparalleled in terms of power density, weight and packaging. This pairs with a new performance battery developed from scratch that enables previously unimagined level of performance and endurance."
In combination with the new high performance battery, the three axial flux motors attain a completely new level, particularly in respect of continuous power. This allows the CONCEPT AMG GT XX to be pushed to its limits repeatedly, offering a new level of continuous performance that was almost unthinkable in the world of electric mobility – until now.
The battery remains in an optimal temperature range even during intense driving, enabling not only performance on the road but also extremely fast charging. The concept vehicle can recharge energy for about 400 kilometres of range (WLTP)2 in around five minutes, which is roughly equivalent to the distance from Affalterbach to Spa-Francorchamps. After the charging stop, the vehicle can immediately deliver full power again - an unprecedented capability.
Axial flux motors offer many benefits: they are significantly more compact, lighter and, above all, more powerful than conventional electric motors (radial flux motors). The power density of axial flux motors is around three times that of conventional electric motors.
At the same time, the innovative motors are around two-thirds lighter and take up just one third of the space. This compact motor design offers more freedom when it comes to drivetrain packaging. Compared with conventional electric motors, the innovative drive delivers a considerably higher sustained power output as well as higher torque. This translates into the highest levels of performance, reproduceable again and again with great frequency.
In an axial flux motor, the electromagnetic flux runs parallel to the motor’s axis of rotation. In a conventional electric motor, on the other hand, it runs perpendicular to the axis of rotation. In an axial flux motor, the large components are shaped like slim discs. The stator is positioned between two rotors on the left and right sides. This layout of stator and rotors enables optimum power transmission to the rotors through the electric field generated by the stator.
In the CONCEPT AMG GT XX, this combination is barely nine centimetres wide. Each of the two motors at the rear is around just eight centimetres wide.
No fewer than three of these innovative electric motors guarantee outstanding system power in the CONCEPT AMG GT XX. Its peak output is more than 1,000 kW (>1,360 hp). The motors are packaged into two High Performance Electric Drive Units (HP.EDUs) – one at the front and one at the rear.
The HP.EDU at the rear has two axial flux motors, each equipped with a compact planetary gearset and one inverter, in a single casing. The motors and transmissions are oil-cooled. To save even more space, the necessary pump control unit with hydraulic pumps and suction filters is likewise integrated into the HP.EDU. The two inverters (one per motor) are water-cooled. The material properties of silicon carbide offer multiple benefits for demanding applications requiring high voltages, high current, high temperatures and high heat conductivity.
The front HP.EDU comprises one axial flux motor, a spur-gear transmission and an inverter. The front electric drive functions as a booster motor. It only kicks in when additional power or traction is required at the front wheels. When the front electric motor is not needed, a Disconnect Unit (DCU) decouples it. During acceleration and recuperation, the DCU engages for optimal performance. During steady driving, low load, and coasting, it disengages again, reducing unnecessary drag losses and increasing efficiency.
The axial flux motors are produced at the Mercedes-Benz plant in the Marienfelde area of Berlin. It has been an important part of the global Mercedes-Benz Powertrain production network for decades and handles the production of various drive components. The manufacture of axial flux motors in Marienfelde involves around 100 production processes.
Approximately 65 of these processes are new for Mercedes-Benz and 35 of them are world firsts. They include new forms of laser technology combined with innovative joining processes and artificial intelligence. These new production processes were developed largely in-house by Mercedes-Benz, and the innovations led to more than 30 patent applications. All this underscores Berlin-Marienfelde's leading role worldwide in production-process innovations.
The high-voltage battery in the CONCEPT AMG GT XX is a completely new development. It benefits from all the experience from the AMG ONE and Formula 1® as well as the knowledge of the best engineers from Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach and Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in Brixworth (UK).
"With the CONCEPT AMG GT XX, we have succeeded in translating our design vision for AMG into the future. Sports cars have always been the icons of our brand; they are emotional and truly special to create. They represent unique moments in time. Icons like the 300 SL and the legendary Silver Arrows are the emotional heart of our brand, as are the GT and AMG ONE. Crafting these masterpieces is about creating something extraordinary – from the C111 to the Vision One-Eleven, and into the future of production. The brand-new CONCEPT AMG GT XX embodies the hot part of our design philosophy of sensual purity.”
To view the further details of the CONCEPT AMG GT XX, visit the AMG Website
