Mercedes-AMG plug-in hybrid self-charges while drifting
High-performance plug-in recuperates energy while sliding, making it ideal for track workMercedes-AMG has revealed its all-new P3 plug-in hybrid tech is capable of clawing back energy to recharge its batteries mid-drift.
Releasing a new video, Mercedes-AMG hybrid engineer Jochen Schmitz explains that during the period of time its latest plug-in Mercedes-AMG GT 4 Door Coupe is sliding, energy is directed away from spinning up the rear wheels into recharging the battery.
The purpose of recuperating energy is to presumably deploy it again once the car reaches a straight.
It's already been revealed that the flagship AMG GT, set to be called the '73e' will produce an incredible 600kW and 1000Nm of torque.
Blending the current Mercedes-AMG GT 63’s M177 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with AMG’s latest ‘P3’ E-Performance plug-in hybrid powertrain, the new system packages a two-speed transmission and electronically controlled limited-slip differential, plus a battery that slots in underneath the boot floor.
Providing an optimum weight distribution, the powerful electric motor can punch out as much as 150kW/320Nm for up to 10 seconds.
That, says AMG, will help provide the big AMG GT with a sub-3.0sec sprint to 100km/h.
Top speed was not confirmed but it’s thought to be in excess of 330km/h.
Feeding current to the electric motor is a 6.1kWh lithium-ion battery that draws from tech developed by the Mercedes-AMG F1 team and will provide the vehicle with a limited pure-electric range at speeds up to 140km/h.
It tips the scales at 89kg and has a power density of 17.kW/kg – a figure double most conventional batteries.
Engineers claim that thanks to a new cooling system as well as a 150kW burst of power, the hybrid system will never be depleted and can feed 70kW of power continuously.
The advanced cooling system submerges the 400-volt battery’s 560 cells in 14 litres of coolant to keep it at an optimum 45 degrees Celsius.
Thanks to its chiller, the battery can deploy its energy quicker and recharge far faster than other hybrids.
Enabling it to drift, the nine-speed AMG Speedshift MCT 9G transmission and 4MATIC variable all-wheel drive system is capable of being decoupled for rear-drive only, providing an opportunity for AMG engineers to introduce a drift mode.
It's set to land before the end of the year with pricing likely to match the plug-in Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid at about $420,000.
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