Mercedes-Benz reveals SLS E-Cell performance data

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

The electric version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS uses four electric motors mounted near the wheels and a central-mounted battery pack.

Mercedes-Benz has lifted the veil of secrecy on the plug-in-electric propulsion system of its upcoming SLS E-Cell, first revealed in concept form at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show.

Set to go into limited production in early 2013, the zero-emission version of the German carmaker's signature gullwing coupe is set to rival a raft of new high-priced electric or hybrid supercars due out in the not-too-distant future, including the Audi E-tron, the BMW i8, the Jaguar C-X75 and the Porsche 918.

The car is undergoing development at Mercedes-Benz's performance-car AMG unit and its British-based sister company, AMG High Performance Powertrains--the company behind Mercedes' latest 2.4-liter V6 Formula One race engine.

The SLS E-Cell eschews the naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine of its standard sibling for a quartet of synchronous electric motors--one mounted at each corner of its carbon-fiber-and-aluminum body structure and driving all four wheels--for a combined output of 526 hp and a heady 649 lb-ft of torque.

The motors, supplied by Bosch, are capable of reaching a rotational speed of up to 12,000 rpm and drive through two separate fixed-gear transmissions--one mounted on each axle and both featuring torque vectoring to provide selective distribution of drive forces to the wheels possessing the most traction. AMG claims that design ensures only minimal electronic-stability-program intervention, even on wet and/or slippery road surfaces. By comparison, the standard SLS uses a six-speed dual clutch gearbox and rear-wheel drive.

Energy for the SLS E-Cell's electric motors is provided by a 400-volt lithium-ion battery pack mounted within the space usually reserved for the SLS's transmission tunnel and fuel tank behind the driver and passenger seats. It consists of 864 individual cells provided by Korean battery specialist SK Innovations. They are arranged in 12 individual modules, each consisting of 72 cells and providing an overall energy density of 48 kilowatt-hours and a maximum load of 480 kilowatts, which AMG boss Ola Kaellenius describes as “an absolute best in the automotive sector.”

By mounting the four electric motors low at each corner and the battery wholly within the wheelbase, AMG claims to have achieved a weight distribution of 46:54 front-to-rear and a center of gravity nearly 1 inch lower than that of the gasoline-powered SLS coupe.

In addition to plug-in recharging, the SLS E-Cell uses a multistage variable kinetic-energy-recuperation system (KERS) operated via steering-wheel-mounted paddles. The recharging technology was first developed by AMG High Performance Powertrains for the KERS system used on McLaren's Mercedes-Benz-engined car during the 2009 F1 season and subsequently improved for use on this year's Mercedes-Benz-engined F1 race cars.

Unlike the standard SLS coupe, which uses an all-aluminum body, the SLS E-Cell employs a more complex carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and aluminum structure revealed at last year's Frankfurt motor show. Its key element is a transmission tunnel fashioned out of CFRP, which is structurally integrated into the existing aluminum structure.

The stiff, high-strength CFRP component helps reduce weight while creating a zero-intrusion cell that protects the batteries from damage in the event of a crash. The use of carbon fiber means that the SLS AMG E-Cell's transmission tunnel is about 30 percent lighter than the transmission tunnel in a standard SLS, which goes some way to offsetting the extra weight of the batteries.

Mercedes-Benz has not revealed a weight figure for the production version of the SLS E-Cell just yet, but its high-tech propulsion system is claimed to provide it with a 0-to-62-mph time of 4.0 seconds, just 0.2 second more than the standard SLS coupe, and a top speed that is likely to be limited to 155 mph.

Get more car news, reviews and opinion every day: Sign up to have the Autoweek Daily Drive delivered right to your inbox.

Autoweek loves passionate comments and debate, but remember that you're part of a diverse community. Above all: be respectful. Critique statements, not people; talk about the automotive world, but skip the political rhetoric, hate speech, and obscenities. While we can't read every post, this site is moderated and Autoweek will remove comments as we see fit. Questions? Read our Terms of Use or email moderator@autoweek.com.

View the original article here

Hyundai reveals 2013 Elantra coupe and GT at Chicago auto show

\The Elantra is one of Hyundai's strongest launches in recent memory, which is saying something considering that the Sonata and the Genesis have been rather well received in mainstream and enthusiast corners.

With that in mind, Hyundai is extending the Elantra line with a sporty coupe variant and a practical five-door hatch for 2013. The cars were revealed on Wednesday at the Chicago auto show.

The Elantra two-door will fight coupes such as the Honda Civic and the Kia Forte Koup and promises 40 mpg on the highway from a fuel-efficient, 1.8-liter four-cylinder. Hyundai is packaging slinky styling and a roomy interior in hopes of capturing young buyers, a common theme for automakers at recent auto shows.

Though it will be hawked as a fun-to-drive option, the front-wheel-drive Elantra coupe will be marketed to a slightly different audience than the more enthusiast-oriented, rear-drive Genesis coupe.

The Elantra coupe will produce as much as 148 hp and 131 lb-ft of torque. It will get up to 29 mpg in the city with the manual and 40 mpg in highway driving. Fuel economy is 28/39 mpg city/highway with the automatic.

The base version checks in at a reasonably lithe 2,687 pounds. The styling continues Hyundai's fluidic sculpture theme with a flowing beltline, prominent headlights and slightly flared wheels.

The coupe continues the momentum started by its sedan sibling, which won North American Car of the Year honors in January.

"It has really surpassed our expectations," Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik said.

The Hyundai Elantra GT is shorter than the Elantra coupe.

So why stop there?

Hyundai is also adding a five-door model, the GT, that will fight the Ford Focus, the Mazda 3 and the Volkswagen Golf. The five-door offers the same powertrain choices as the coupe and gets 28 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway. The compact hatch is shorter than the coupe.

The Elantra GT also has up to 51 cubic feet of cargo capacity in the rear with the seats folded down. A version of the car, the i30, was revealed for other markets last year in Europe.

\

Hyundai reveals Elantra coupe and GT at Chicago auto show

The Elantra is one of Hyundai's strongest launches in recent memory, which is saying something considering that the Sonata and the Genesis have been rather well-received in mainstream and enthusiast corners.

With that in mind, Hyundai is extending the Elantra line with a sporty coupe variant and a practical five-door hatch. The cars are being revealed on Wednesday at the Chicago auto show.

The Elantra two-door will fight coupes such as the Honda Civic and the Kia Forte Koup and promises 40 mpg on the highway from a fuel-efficient, 1.8-liter four-cylinder. Hyundai is packaging slinky styling and a roomy interior in hopes of capturing young buyers, a common theme for automakers at recent auto shows.

Though it will be hawked as a fun-to-drive option, the front-wheel-drive Elantra coupe will be marketed to a slightly different audience than the more enthusiast-oriented, rear-drive Genesis coupe.

The Elantra coupe will produce as much as 148 hp and 131-lb-ft of torque. It will get up to 29 mpg in the city with the manual and 40 mpg in highway driving. Fuel economy is 28/39 mpg city/highway with the automatic.

The base version checks in at a reasonably lithe 2,687 pounds. The styling continues Hyundai's fluidic sculpture theme with a flowing beltline, prominent headlights and slightly flared wheels.

The coupe continues the momentum started by its sedan sibling, which won North American Car of the Year honors in January.

"It has really surpassed our expectations," Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik said.

The Hyundai Elantra GT is shorter than the Elantra coupe.

So why stop there?

Hyundai is also adding a five-door model, the GT, that will fight the Ford Focus, the Mazda 3 and the Volkswagen Golf. The five-door offers the same powertrain choices as the coupe and gets 28 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway. The compact hatch is shorter than the coupe.

The Elantra GT also has up to 51 cubic feet of cargo capacity in the rear with the seats folded down. A version of the car, the i30, was revealed for other markets last year in Europe.