A Mercedes-Benz has just gone around the world in 7½ days. Sort of.
The Concept AMG GT XX has just shattered the record for distance covered by an EV in a day. After that, the team of 17 pro drivers kept going for 6 more days, racking up record after record, demolishing 25 electric vehicle records along the way.
186 MPH for 2 Hours at a Time
Mercedes-AMG knew that the three high-tech axial flux motors in its Concept AMG GT XX prototype could do more than just make 1,341 horsepower. They could also do it for incredibly long times at exceptionally high speeds, and that meant the car was perfect for record-hunting.
To prove it, Mercedes-AMG headed to the Nardo high-speed ring in Italy. The pro drivers averaged 142 mph, including stops, driving 186 mph for 2 hours at a time between stops, and covering 3,396 miles in a single day.
That total beat the old record by nearly 1,000 miles, against some very quick cars. The first big record was set when the Porsche Taycan managed 2,128 miles in a day in 2019. Later, Benz’s own new CLA did 2,309 miles, and just a few weeks ago, the XPeng P7 from China did 2,461 miles in 24 hours.
The GT XX has embarrassed them all.
Ultrafast Charge Speeds
How did this EV cover so much distance? A lot of charging stops with some incredibly fast chargers. While the quickest current EVs charge at a maximum of around 350 kW, this AMG EV could take on 850 kW. Instead of using the full battery each time, the car would come in for just a minute at the right moment for maximum juice.
The record was set on the 7.88-mile circle at Italy’s Nardo test track. Round and round and round the All-Star list of drivers would go until it was time to come in for a charge — or a charge and tires.
Stop the car, plug in, wait, and go.
The drivers, including Mercedes-AMG F1 driver George Russell, would then immediately accelerate back to 186 mph. Yup, they spent almost every stint at a constant 186 mph and maintained it for 2 hours before needing another charge. Nearly 400 miles on a partial charge at top speed, and with temperatures just shy of 100 degrees F in the day. Take that, range anxiety!
It took 14:03 to hit 2,000 miles. 5,000 miles happened at 1 day and 11:27. The car hit 10,000 miles 45 minutes before the start of the third day, and the end result for the cars was 25,000 miles at 7 days, 14 hours, and 9 minutes. That’s the equivalent of circumnavigating the equator without getting wet.
Oh, and that’s right, we said cars. Mercedes-AMG actually did this with two cars, not one. The second car hit all of the same distance targets, just a couple of minutes — about 15 miles — behind.
25,000 Miles in Just a Week
That figure doesn’t just beat electrics — it also beats even dedicated gas race cars. The Guinness World Record for a hybrid car is just 2,153 miles, set by a Toyota Avalon hybrid in China in 2022. The longest distance ever covered at the 24 Hours of Daytona was 2,876 miles in 2018, and in 2010, one car completed 3,360 miles during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The gas car record was a Volkswagen W12 Coupe — a car that managed 4,815 miles in 24 hours. Nobody has touched AMG’s 25,000-mile run, though, and we’re not sure anyone ever will. But, records are meant to be broken.
Read the full article here