When Mercedes-Benz displayed the SLS AMG E-Cell concept at last year’s Detroit Motor Show, company boss Dr. Dieter Zetsche boldly stated that it is “the most technically advanced sports car in the 125-year history of the automobile” and confirmed that a production version was on its way.
This year, the three-pointed star announced that the SLS AMG E-Cell would hit the market in 2013. While 2012 still has some way to go (assuming the Mayas were wrong and the world doesn’t end…), the production version has been caught completely undisguised.
The silver-colored, all-electric supercar is virtually identical to the V8-powered version. It is identified only by the absence of the exhaust pipes and the “E-CELL” decals placed between the two fins that are mounted on the air outlets behind from front wheels.
A liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery placed in the carbon fiber transmission tunnel will power the all-electric version of the SLS AMG supercar. It is connected to four synchronous electric motors positioned near the wheels for a total output of 562HP (392kW) and a maximum torque of 880Nm (649 lb-ft).
Because the all-electric Mercedes-Benz supercar features all-wheel drive instead of the regular model’s rear-wheel drive layout, it gains a redesigned, pushrod-operated front suspension. It also features an active “torque vectoring” system that optimizes handling and traction.
Mercedes says that the E-Cell will be able to accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.0 seconds. We imagine that the 0.3-second deficit in the sprint compared to the recently updated version of the 6.2-liter V8 model will be more than counterbalanced by the fact that the electric version, unlike its gas-guzzling sibling, is a totally “green”, emissions-free supercar.
By Andrew Tsaousis
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoop
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