Mercedes on 2 paths to electrify its AMG

AMG's throaty engines are going green and, in some cases, silent.

Mercedes-Benz is taking a dual-pronged strategy to electrify the performance subbrand — with plug-in hybrids and all-electric models — as the luxury automaker targets lower emissions.

The first electrified Mercedes- AMGs debut this year with a U.S. launch expected in 2022.

"With our new drive strategy, we are transporting our hallmark DNA into an electrified future," Mercedes-AMG global boss Philipp Schiemer said. "We are ... opening ourselves up to new target groups who can experience Mercedes-AMG as the performance luxury brand of the 21st century."

The urgency to hit emission targets and avoid costly fines is driving Mercedes to rethink its broader product line. Globally, Daimler's passenger-car brand estimates at least 50 percent of its sedans, coupes and utility vehicles will be electrified by 2030, while the number of combustion-engine variants will fall by 70 percent.

Targeting the AMG line for electrification could give Mercedes the biggest bang for its buck in reducing overall fleet emissions.

"Combining a fuel-efficient engine with electric motors limits the gas needed for everyday driving and provides that extra boost of power when it comes time to showcase why that AMG badge is on the trunk," said Sam Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions.

With plug-in hybrids, Mercedes is priming the market for all-electric AMG models while also providing some insurance against the range anxiety tied to battery-electric vehicles.

"As emissions regulations get tighter and buyers become more accustomed to electric vehicles, AMG can widen the availability of fully electric models, eventually replacing the hybrid-electric models," Fiorani said.

The new hybrid powertrain is derived from the power pack in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 race car.

The platform, which combines an AMG eight-cylinder or four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, delivers more than 804 hp and 0 to 60 mph sprint in under 3 seconds.

The electric motor, packaged with the 6.1 kWh battery, is above the rear axle to improve weight distribution and vehicle handling, Mercedes said. The motor acts directly on the rear axle, delivering extra oomph when launching from a standstill, accelerating or overtaking.

The Mercedes-AMG battery features a new thermal management system designed to ensure even heat distribution in the battery — critical to the power pack's performance and longevity.

AMG engineers developed new modules that are only millimeters thin to individually cool 560 lithium ion cells in the battery. About 14 liters of coolant circulate from top to bottom through the battery past each cell with the help of a specially developed electric pump.

The thermal management system ensures the battery operates at a consistent 113 degrees regardless of how often it is charged or discharged. That allows the sports car to pull off successive fast laps in hybrid mode on the race track.

Direct cooling also enabled Mercedes to squeeze more high-power cells into the battery, increasing its performance while reducing weight and footprint.

The battery weighs 196 pounds and has a power density of 1.7 kW/kg, or 1 hp per pound. Conventional batteries without direct cooling of the cells manage about half that power density, Mercedes said.

The E-Performance hybrids borrow another technology from Formula 1.

By placing an electric motor in the turbocharger, Mercedes engineers have solved the vexing problem of turbo lag, the slight pause in acceleration that occurs as the exhaust gas reaches the turbine blades.

With an electric motor spinning the turbine, it can reach full speed nearly instantaneously and enable instant torque from the engine. The effect is similar to that of a high-performance EV.