"MPC (AMG version rendered above) offers an unrivaled level of accommodation and luxury in the electric vehicle ranks"
All-electric bevel flagship to get 600 hp s.-plus AMG-developed transmission; maturing in 2022 after the standard Jaguar XJ competitor launches
Mercedes-Benz will unveil its most ambitious electric model to date as an EQ flagship sedan - and it plans on an AMG version that will challenge the introduction of a car with a twin motor drive of more than 600 hp. With. and formed the basis of a series of new hot zero emission models.
The S-Class-sized sedan, due to arrive in the UK in standard form in early 2022, is the first EQ model based on the German manufacturer of scalable electric vehicle architecture (EVA). This skateboard-style structure, Mercedes says, will enable the bevel to offer an unrivaled level of placement and luxury in electric car rows, thanks to the flat floor and smart battery packaging.
Views of the Vision Bevel Concept were first shown at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, and the bevel is planned for the next-generation Jaguar XJ, which is also in advanced stages of development and up to showrooms next year. Other contenders include the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan, and a number of new luxury vehicles currently being developed by the electric car start-up company, including the Lucid Air and the Xpeng R7.
Bevel wedges for the electric first' strategy that Mercedes research and development boss Markus Schäfer says it will save up to 50% of the company's sales coming from electric and hybrid models by 2030, up from a projected 9% this year.
“We want to change the way we build cars,” Schaefer said in a recall on the Eva platform. “The main focus is on electric transmissions.”
The bevel, known internally under the code name V297, will be dedicated to the fifth model of Mercedes eq. It follows the OKH, an SUV that has been on sale since last summer, the EQ, a van-based carrier that's due on sale in the coming weeks, and the Wok and EQB compact SUVs. This is the eighth electric model to wear the EQ badge: Smart fortwo with equalizer, sports convertible equalizer and cars equalizer also officially belong to the sub-brand.
The flagship EQ model will differ from existing high-end Mercedes vehicles with its unique short bonnet proportions and monolithic body devoid of any characteristic lines. It will be sold alongside the more traditional seventh-generation S-Class, which will be revealed later in the year ahead of UK sales next year.
A key place among the exterior elements is the beveled laying of the black grille panel. A set will be offered as an option that will be a three-pointed star similar to that featured on the Vision EQ, giving the new models what Mercedes designers describe as “all new faces”. These are to be propped up by triangular headlights with optional digital light technology.
In another first, the EQs also get a fixed carbon fiber reinforced plastic clamshell hood, with elements like the windshield filler bottle washers accessible through the front fender panel. Among the choice of wheels are 22 inch alloys already seen on various EQ prototypes.
Dimensionally, the production of beveled mirrors of the existing third generation CLS in length. However, the compact packaging of its electric powertrain and flat floor are said to provide its interior space, which improves on the larger S-Class.
“It's a whole new world,” Schaefer said. “Restrictions on packaging on a conventional combustion engine platform do not apply anymore. Space, especially in the rear, sets new standards. And with the liftback, we've improved practicality.”
The highlight of the spacious interior will be the 1.15-meter glass panels, which are produced using a patented technology. It houses a series of high definition digital displays that operate through a new user interface developed by Mercedes.
Mercedes plans to offer standard EQ with a limited number of powertrains, the most powerful of which, a dual-motor setup, is expected to match the output of early concepts at 470bhp and 560lb ft into the 550's bevel with 4Matic all-wheel drive. It will not however be the most powerful bevel option.
The car learned that the Mercedes AMG performance car is set to enter the electric vehicle production lineup with an even more powerful model. According to one senior Mercedes engineer, it will have reserves on par with the existing S63 4Matic, which is powered by a twin-turbo 4,0-liter V8 petrol engine.
This suggests that the AMG bevel range, which is expected to be introduced in 2022, will get more than 600 hp. With. and 663lb ft from a dual-motor setup similar to that used on the most powerful of its standard siblings.
By comparison, the most powerful Model S variant today is the P100D, developing 784bhp and 841lb ft.
Nothing is official at this stage, but AMG said it has signed up for a modular electric powertrain strategy similar to what's in place with more conventional combustion-powered models.
The likely scenario, according to the source, is that upcoming AMG versions of the bevel, the smaller EQE cabin and eventually the electric G-Class SUV (presumably dubbed the EQG) still use the same high-performance powertrain, reflecting the image of today's 63-badged AMG models use conventional internal combustion engine. It is not yet known if more compact models, such as the Wok and EQB, will benefit for sure.
According to one official with knowledge of Mercedes' 'electric foreground', the CNG powertrain was developed as part of Tesla's 'plaid' powertrain quick call head-on. The California electric automaker's tri-motor setup is shrouded in mystery, but it's already rumored to develop up to 800bhp and in excess of 1000lb ft.
Volkswagen is also known to have high-performance electric powertrains. The German manufacturer recently confirmed that it is using the technical know-how gained during the development of its ID R sports car prototype as the basis of a new powertrain for the automotive division's performance study.
As shown in the concept, the AMG version of the bevel will send its reserves to the road through an advanced new all-wheel drive system capable of varying the amount of power and torque for each wheel.
The new model will have even more powerful acceleration than the standard bevel, which Mercedes already claims has the potential to go from 0 to 62 mph in 4.2 seconds. Unlike the current OKH, which is limited to 112mph, this can also have a top speed bumped up to 155mph, to suit its vehicle's positioning performance.
Power for the bevel motors is provided by a 100kWh lithium-ion battery. It's housed in a flat floor and is expected to offer a range of up to 430 miles in the WLTP test cycle, although sources close to Mercedes suggest the real figure will be closer to 320 miles. Like the Taycan, it will support 350kW fast charging, which Schaefer shades will allow the battery to charge up to 80% capacity in 20 minutes.
Also included will be a new energy recovery system. Building on developments already being used on Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 cars, it is claimed to provide levels of kinetic energy during braking far superior to existing road car systems.
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