A New Look at the All-Electric Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-Cell Prototype

A year after Mercedes-Benz revealed its plans for their all-electric SLS AMG E-Cell sports car, new specs and details have finally been released to answer in-depth questions.

As with any sports car, the first item on the list is performance.

According to Mercedes-Benz the all-electric version of the SLS AMG stacks up nicely to its standard counterpart.

A Few Specs:

• 526 horsepower and 649 pound-feet of torque, thanks to E-Cell's 4 electric motors -- one placed near each wheel.

• 0-62 mph in 4.0 seconds (compared to 3.8 seconds in the standard SLS).

• Identical structure to the standard SLS, but new and improved suspension to accommodate motors at the front of the vehicle.

• SLS E-Cell ceramic braking that will help regenerate battery charge during braking.

• A comprehensive center console that allows the driver to monitor audio, climate, and navigation functions while also monitoring the flow of power from the four electric motors

Battery packs consisting of 400 volt liquid-cooled, high-voltage lithium batteries, have been placed in specific places around the car to maintain an even weight distribution.

Located in front of the firewall, in the center tunnel, and behind the seats, the battery locations will also help with the necessary low center of gravity.

Frivolous or Noteworthy?

How about a bit of both? Yes, this is a luxury super-car and out of most peoples' financial reach. And yes, it will likely be released in limited supply some time around 2013 as it is still in key testing stages.

However, what the SLS AMG E-Cell does do, in a big way, is buck traditional concepts of how electric vehicles function.

Think racing enthusiasts of the F1 or NASCAR variety; the high octane (and high carbon emitting), gasoline hogging auto-freaks followed by hundreds of thousands.

Mercedes-Benz is showing that the "thrill" factor does not have to be removed from electric vehicles. That the potential for change is not always inhibited by a sacrifice of personal enjoyment.

The operative word -- for the moment -- being "potential".

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