It looks like an SLS AMG with its blazing speed, gullwing doors and is even coated in AMG’s signature Lumilectric Mango colored paint, but it’s too quiet to be an SLS AMG which is known for its rumbling roar. So what is it? Say hello to the 2013 Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell prototype electric car, a fully electric version of its gullwing SLS counterpart. In appearance and dimensions, the SLS E-Cell very closely resembles the SLS AMG but the difference is under the hood.
Around Chicago, Mercedes dealers are excited to learn more about the SLS AMG E-Cell which is an electric car that runs on a 400-volt electrical system and consists of four individual motors, with each corn of the car carrying its own motor. The electricity is provided to the motors via six lithium-ion batteries that as of today’s technology need 8 hours to fully recharge.
What is truly remarkable about this car is the blazing speeds it can achieve – just picture yourself driving this down the streets of Chicago. Used Mercedes-Benz drivers crazing speed are in for a treat. The SLS AMG E-Cell can go from zero to 62 mph in just four seconds, reaches 130 mph in under 12 seconds and can reach up to 155 mph (you can go up to 197 mph but then you would end up doing some jail time). However, don’t think that you can fly in this thing forever. With the battery technology available today, its range is only 90 miles, but engineers are hoping that they can extend it to about 130 miles in between recharging.
For many, this is a major letdown. In and around Chicago, used Mercedes-Benz fans can’t understand how a car that is slated to cost about a quarter of a million dollars would only be able to perhaps drive you to the mall and back? It would seem that a much longer range would be needed for this model to be functional. While this is a valid point, the battery technology has not yet caught up yet, and the hope is that by the time this car is officially released, it could be charged at a station in under an hour, or even have the ability to swap out batteries if no time to recharge.
Another critique is the giant price tag on this car. It seems as if they could have started off with a cheaper model instead of modeling the already expensive SLS AMG. However, it seems like the goal of this prototype at this stage of development is to generate interest in the new electric technology, not so much sales. So what better way to get attention than to style it after the eye-catching SLS AMG?
Don’t go asking your local Mercedes-Benz dealer for purchasing details just yet though. Around Chicago, Mercedes dealers anticipate having to wait a long time for this car since the 2013 SLS E-Cell is still in its very early stages of its development.
