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The AMG one and GT 63 S Share More DNA Than You Think
Hopefully we see F1 tech in even more cars down the road
by Josh Conturo, onThe Mercedes AMG Project One was first unveiled about four years ago and has been in development at least to some degree ever since. We knew it would take a while to get the 1,000 horsepower 1.6-liter turbo hybrid V-6 Formula 1 powertrain to play well on the road, but it has been a long wait. However, with the development stage being replaced with the production stage we are starting to see just how much of the Project One is being carried over to more conventional models.
Why the electric powertrain in the AMG Project One is so special
In a recent YouTube video posted by Mercedes AMG, CTO Jochen Hermann highlighted some of the technical aspects of the hybrid powertrain. Specifically, why they have tacked the phrase "e-performance" onto the Project One’s name, and what exactly that phrase means.
According to Hermann, the term ’E-PERFORMANCE’ in part refers to the liquid-cooled battery. "we can make sure that all the recuperation energy while braking into a corner gets into the battery and corner out when you boost, all the energy gets efficiently back into the car, that’s why we call it E-PERFORMANCE" said Hermann.
Meanwhile, the entire front axle is electrically powered by two 120kW motors (a total of 326 horsepower). That means the F1-powered Project One can drive purely on electricity for 18.1 kilometers (11.2 miles) for your morning commute.
On top of the electrically powered front axle, in case you were curious, the V-6 ICE engine itself makes 574 horsepower. Whereas the electric motor on the engine’s crankshaft (MGU-K) can make 163 horsepower, and the electric motor that helps spin the massive turbo (MGU-H) helps it produce about 51 psi of boost, ultimately maxing out at 122 horsepower.
What part of Project One carries over?
In short, it mostly comes down to the battery, electric motors, and how they are all programmed. Hermann said, "it is the same idea, the same software strategy, the deployment strategy. What do we do with the energy while braking, while boosting, and both cars can drive fully electric."
The ’other car’ Herman is talking about is the AMG GT 63 S E-PERFORMANCE. The 843 horsepower, twin-turbo V-8 beast that was announced just last year. If the GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE has Formula 1 tech as such an integral part of the car, then there is nothing to stop Mercedes from putting that same tech into other E-PERFORMANCE models down the road.
For example, we know the next AMG C-Class will be a four-cylinder hybrid. Hopefully, we see the same tech that is in the Project One and the GT 63 E-PERFORMANCE in that car, which already has a lot to live up to.
Source: Mercedes AMG
