The future of Mercedes-AMG will involve a lot of plugs
The head of AMG expects a surge in performance plug-in hybrids in the coming years.
If you saw a badge that said "EQ Power+" on the side of the Mercedes-AMG GT sedan concept, I hope you like it, because you're bound to see it all over the AMG lineup in the future.
EQ Power+ is Mercedes-AMG's name for its plug-in hybrid technology, which will eventually make its way into the entire AMG lineup, Automotive News reports, citing a conversation with AMG head honcho Tobias Moers.
It's believed that the first non-concept vehicle to wield EQ Power+ will be the production version of the GT sedan concept, which is set to bow some time in 2018. Following that, the technology will end up inside Project One, the forthcoming Mercedes-AMG hypercar that borrows heavily from Formula 1 technology.
I wouldn't care if the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept ran on coal and blood diamonds -- it's beautiful!
Not only will plug-in hybrids factor into AMG's equation, but pure electrics will, as well. Moers didn't give any hints as to when these types of vehicles would enter the lineup, but as emissions standards continue to tighten around the globe, Mercedes-AMG will need to find new ways to put its performance vehicles in owners' hands.
While Mercedes-AMG made a name for itself by shoving some high-horsepower gas engines into Mercedes-Benz vehicles, it's already felt the environmental squeeze. It used to rely on honkin' 6.2-liter, naturally aspirated V8s. Over time, the engines downsized and gained turbochargers, with the current AMG sweetheart displacing just 4.0 liters.
Mercedes-AMG has already dabbled with electric vehicles, most notably its SLS AMG Electric Drive, which used a 60-kWh battery to supply four electric motors putting out about 740 horsepower. Fewer than 100 were sold.
Project One sounds interesting, but Mercedes is surprisingly late to the hybrid-electric hypercar game. Porsche , McLaren and Ferrari have already built and sold out of the 918 Spyder, P1 and LaFerrari, respectively. However, as most cars of this caliber are nearly sold out by the time they go "on sale," Mercedes shouldn't have anything to worry about from a sales standpoint.
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