Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX: 400km range in 5 minutes, 1360hp, 360kmph top speed

AMG is poised to set a new benchmark for electric performance cars with the Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX. This concept previews the upcoming four-door series-production sports car from Mercedes-AMG, based on the AMG.EA high performance architecture. Using axial flux motors, the first application on an electric car, along with a new battery design, innovative cooling solutions and radical styling, this AMG concept promises to make rapid strides into the all-electric future.

This is the first application of axial flux motors in an electric car

Axial flux motors on the Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX

The Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX makes use of three axial flux motors, but first let us understand the difference between an axial flux motor and a radial flux motor. Radial flux motors have been used on most electric cars so far and the easiest way to describe one is to think of a cylinder placed within a cylinder. The outer cylinder is the stator (which is stationary) and it creates a rotating magnetic field which rotates the inner cylinder, called the rotor (which is a moving part). Compared to this, an axial flux motor consists of discs placed next to each other, with one disc creating the rotating magnetic field (acting as the stator) and the other discs rotating with the rotor. Axial flux motors have been used on hybrid performance cars – think the McLaren Artura, the Lamborghini Revuelto and the Lamborghini Temerario. But this is the first application of an axial flux motor in an EV.

The benefits of using an axial flux motor compared to a radial flux motor are namely power, weight and packaging. In the Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX, the axial flux motor sees a reduction of 67 per cent in weight, it takes up just one third of the space, and has three times the power density and twice the torque density as compared to a radial flux motor. In terms of power, the three axial motors deliver a claimed peak power output of more than 1000kW or 1341bhp (1360hp).

Axial flux motors by YASA

The axial flux motor tech was originally developed by British electric motor specialist YASA, which has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz AG since 2021. To give you some perspective of YASA’s expertise, the Jaguar C-X75 concept car featured four YASA axial flux motors and their axial flux motors also made their production road car debut in the Koenigsegg Regera. In fact, even the hybrid powertrain of the Lamborghini Temerario features three YASA axial flux motors. These axial flux motors will enter series production at Mercedes-AMG in 2026.

The concept gets two high performance drive units (HP.EDUs) on each axle, with the rear drive unit consisting of two axial flux motors and the front drive unit getting a single axial flux motor

High Performance Electric Drive Units on the AMG GT XX

The concept gets three axial flux motors and they are packaged into two high performance drive units (HP.EDUs) on each axle. The rear drive unit gets two axial flux motors and each of them is equipped with a planetary gearset and one inverter. The motors and transmissions are oil-cooled. Meanwhile, the front drive unit consists of a single axial flux motor, a spur-gear transmission and an inverter. This drive unit functions as a booster motor and it only kicks in when additional power or traction is required at the front wheels. When it is not needed, the front drive motor is decoupled using a DCU or Disconnect Unit. During acceleration, the DCU engages the front motor for performance but when the vehicle is being driven steadily with a low load and is coasting, the front drive motor is disconnected again to increase efficiency. This setup delivers the AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel-drive system to the concept which allows fully variable torque distribution to the front and rear wheels.

Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX power and range

With a claimed peak power output of more than 1000kW or 1341bhp (1360hp), the Concept AMG GT XX is claimed to reach top speeds of more than 360kmph. It is aided in this pursuit by the new high performance battery, which remains in an optimal temperature range even during intense driving, and this enables extreme performance on the road as well as extremely fast charging. The concept is claimed to recharge energy for about 400 kilometres of range (WLTP 2) in around five minutes, and after this charging stop, you can continue to hammer the vehicle down the track at full power once again.

The high-voltage battery in the Concept AMG GT XX benefits from the learnings of the AMG One and Mercedes-AMG’s Formula 1 programme

Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX battery

The high-voltage battery in the Concept AMG GT XX is newly developed and it benefits from the learnings of the AMG One and Mercedes-AMG’s Formula 1 programme. This high performance battery has been designed to deliver high power outputs with repeatability to guarantee outstanding performance. The battery makes use of cylindrical cells which are tall and slim and this format allows huge benefits when it comes to cell cooling. Also new is the laser-welded aluminium cell housing, which is lighter than the steel containers usually used and it also has better electrical and heat conductivity. What this means is that you can have targeted thermal control of the cells, with faster cooling or heating on demand.

The cells also make use of a full-tab configuration which means that the entire surface of the cell tail is electrically and thermally connected to the pole. This enables a significant reduction in the cell’s internal resistance, and this is what facilitates high charging and discharging power. Also, the full-tab battery cells are robust and function reliably under demanding load conditions. The Concept AMG GT XX gets a cell chemistry based on NCMA (nickel / cobalt / manganese / aluminium) in the cathode and an anode with silicon content, which was developed specifically for it. This offers a combination of high energy density of 300 Wh/kg, powerful charging performance and a long lifespan.

There are more than 3,000 cells in the Concept AMG GT XX and these individual cells are packaged into laser-welded plastic modules. These modules have direct cell cooling integrated within them to ensure optimum heat dissipation. A coolant based on an electrically non-conductive oil flows around each cell to maintain the optimum temperature and a special piping system ensures even distribution of the cooling oil.

Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX charging

The lithium-ion energy storage unit has a high voltage of more than 800 volts. The benefits of this high voltage are lower weight (due to lighter cabling), a higher continuous power output and shorter battery charging times. The charging performance of the GT XX will also set new benchmarks and this is again due to direct cooling and optimised thermal management of the cells and power lines during charging. The concept can charge with an average charging power of more than 850kW at 1000 amperes and to match the charging performance, the company has worked in collaboration with European charge service provider Alpitronic to be able to transmit such a high current via a standard CCS cable. The customers of the Mercedes’ future production models will be able to benefit from extremely fast charging for their cars, with charging times claimed to differ only slightly from a conventional refuelling stop.

Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX safety

The body-in-white of the Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX is based on the new AMG.EA architecture and it is made up of a matrix of materials including aluminium, steel and fibre composite materials which combine stiffness with low weight. The high-voltage battery is centrally integrated into the structure of the electric skateboard and its protective housing includes all the cell modules, switch components and the Battery Management System (BMS). The defined lateral load paths and the high torsional stiffness all contribute to a high level of crash safety.

At the front of the GT XX, you get an illuminated AMG-specific grille with ten vertical slats and the three-pointed star integrated into the middle

Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX styling

The initial low-slung silhouette and the eye-popping sunset beam orange of the Concept AMG GT XX do tend to remind you of other Mercedes-Benz concepts such as the Vision One-Eleven, with a low-slung bonnet and sharply raked windscreen. At the front of the GT XX, you get an illuminated AMG-specific grille with ten vertical slats and the three-pointed star integrated into the middle. The grille also gets auxiliary headlights which are recessed into the outer edges of the grille, while the main head lamps (with integrated speakers emit a driving sound for pedestrian protection) sit higher up in a more conventional position.

The 21-inch forged aluminium wheels get a five-spoke design and feature active aero elements

Radical wheel design of the Concept AMG GT XX

The 21-inch forged aluminium wheels feature active aero elements. The wheel itself is a five-spoke design but it is equipped with five movable elements. These blades seal the wheel flush to reduce air resistance and improve range. But when the need for increased brake cooling arises, the control unit located in the wheel sends a signal to the actuators (hidden in the hub of each wheel) which deploy and actively open the blades on the wheels, sending cool air through the wheel to the brakes and back out again. Each actuator is an autonomous unit that uses the spinning wheel to produce its own electrical energy via a mini-generator. The actuator uses Bluetooth to communicate wirelessly with the control unit in the vehicle, and when paired with an integrated high performance battery, it can generate and store enough energy for up to 200 blade moments.

The side skirts get luminescent segments which serve as a visual means of communication during charging

Luminescent paint on the AMG GT XX

Luminescent paint segments on the Concept AMG GT XX allow special effects by night on defined areas of the vehicle body. This brightly glowing paint is clearly noticeable in the dark and Mercedes-AMG has successfully trialled this paint on a GT3 race car at a 24-hour race on the Nürburgring. On the GT XX, the side skirts get luminescent segments which serve as a visual means of communication during charging.

The MBUX Fluid Light panel at the rear consists of more than 700 programmable RGB LEDs

MBUX Fluid Light panel on the AMG GT XX

Move towards the rear and you can feast your eyes on the MBUX Fluid Light panel which consists of more than 700 programmable RGB LEDs and the panel itself gets a 3D-pixel look. You can configure information from the vehicle to be displayed on this panel in real time as text or animation, such as the charging process or even a digital AMG logo. On either side of this panel sit the triple circular tail lamps. Another design element at the rear is the wide diffuser in exposed carbon which aids ground-effect aerodynamics. Aerodynamics of course played a big role in the design of this concept, which is why the rear windscreen is absent from the GT XX, in addition to other aero-friendly elements like a sharply raked windscreen, low-slung bonnet and angled side windows. All these aerodynamic refinements have resulted in a drag coefficient of 0.198.

The interior of the Concept AMG GT XX is very much like that of a racing car – stripped to the essentials, but also offering a luxurious feel

Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX interior

The interior of the Concept AMG GT XX is very much like that of a racing car – stripped to the essentials, but also offering a luxurious feel. The majority of the cabin is done up in a black colour scheme with silver and orange accents and the vehicle and all its instruments are controlled using two LCD displays. There is a 10.25-inch instrument cluster for the driver and a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen, both of which are angled towards the driver. You continue to get the MBUX operating system but in the Concept AMG GT XX, you get an exclusive interface that shows the driver the highlights of the electric drive system. The steering wheel is similar to that of the AMG One and it gets paddles not to change gears – this is an EV after all – but to control recuperation. You also get eight LEDs on the steering to column to signal the state of charge (in blue) as well as recuperation and current performance (in red).

The leather alternative materials used consist of a combination of recycled rubber (from GT3 racing tyres), vegetable proteins and biopolymers

Biotech materials in the AMG GT XX

The interiors make use of LABFIBER materials which are based on biotechnology, featuring alternatives to leather and silk. This is the result of a development partnership with a US bio-design start-up, Modern Meadow. In the Concept AMG GT XX, the leather alternative materials used consist of a combination of recycled rubber (from GT3 racing tyres), vegetable proteins and biopolymers, and this material mimics the characteristics of leather. The front bucket seats are based on carbon fibre racing shells and they get seat pads which are 3D printed and are easy to swap out – the idea behind the swappable seat pads coming from the driver changes in endurance races. You also get a six-point safety harness and the carbon fibre bucket seats at the rear are integrated into the car’s rear bulkhead to save weight. You get no headliner for the roof but an exposed carbon fibre structure, again to save weight, while the door panels get lightweight pipes and orange closing loops to complete the sporty overall theme.

The Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX previews Mercedes-AMG’s future electric performance cars

First full-electric AMG comes in 2026

The Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX previews Mercedes-AMG’s future electric performance cars and the first of these, a four-door series production sports car based on the AMG.EA high performance architecture, will enter production in 2026. Of course, production-spec vehicles tend to be dulled down compared to their concept car counterparts, but if this road car turns out to be even remotely close to the premise offered by the Concept AMG GT XX, it is definitely going to shock the world of electric performance cars.