Future Mercedes-AMGs Will Get Electric Turbochargers To Eliminate Lag

Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers divulged that the next-generation of their performance cars will use electric turbochargers.

Speaking at the recent New York Auto Show, Moers said that the AMG One will be the first petrol-powered production vehicle launched with electric turbochargers: “There’s more to come. Wait and see. Electric turbochargers.”

Those familiar with the current range of Mercedes-AMG models may be keen to point out that the company already uses a form of electric forced induction in its current AMG 53 models. In these cars, the powertrain uses an electric compressor to supplement the turbochargers at low rpm before exhaust gasses can spool up the turbos, drastically reducing lag.

Extra power and improved efficiency

Details about AMG’s new electric turbochargers remain limited, but Moers said that not only will they eliminate turbo lag, but they will also be able to produce energy that will be harvested back into the system.

“You’ll have 80 (eight-zero) kilowatts. You don’t need that 80 kilowatts for speeding up the turbocharger, but you can use for harvesting energy,” Moers said.

AMG’s boss failed to say which Affalterbach-developed model will be the first to benefit from this tech after the Formula One-powered AMG One. However, its benefits probably mean that, at some stage, most, if not all, AMG models will be equipped with electric turbochargers.