Mercedes-AMG Set To Go All Out On Electric Power

While the 2019 New York Auto Show主要特色SUV和crossover debuts, one of those reveals hints at an important shift for future sports cars. Mercedes-Benz showed off its gargantuanGLS SUV, which in GLS580 form is powered by an AMG-designed 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. However, this V8 is also mated to a 48-volt electric motor that's hooked up to the crankshaft to create a mild-hybrid system.Road & Trackcaught up with the head of AMG, Tobias Moers, at the show to speak on the future of AMG, and what role this hybridized V8 might play.

While the first hybridized AMG models have already arrived in the form of the mid-range53-seriesfound on the E-Class, CLS-Class, and GLE-Class model lines, AMG is looking to take this one step further. While the 53-series cars use a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with the 48-volt system, expect to see the V8 mild-hybrid begin to spread through the lineup as well.

"The development was done by us, including the 48-volt system," noted Moers. AMG is clearly proud of its early hybrid attempts, with Moers revealing that "at the beginning of 2021, there will be no car launched without an electrified powertrain." With AMG seeking to electrify its whole lineup, Moers predicts that "the share of electrified powertrains is going to be higher in the performance segments than in other segments in 2025."