In the fast-shifting landscape of electric mobility, where EVs are often praised for efficiency, silence, and tech-forward interfaces, Mercedes-AMG has decided to take a wildly different path: making a car so powerful, so emotionally overwhelming, that it might actually make the driver feel physically ill. And not because it’s flawed—but because it’s that intense.
At a private event in Stuttgart, Mercedes-AMG lifted the cover on its GT XX concept, a 1,340-horsepower electric four-door with a top speed pushing 225 mph—well into hypercar territory and nudging the fringes of Formula One performance. It’s not just a concept. It’s a preview of what’s coming in 2026, when AMG rolls out the first production car based on its new AMG-EA electric performance architecture.
What sets the GT XX apart isn’t just its mind-bending numbers. It’s the way it feels. Joerg Miska, CEO of YASA Ltd., the UK-based company that developed the motors powering this machine, describes the experience as overwhelming: “You could get sick from the sheer intensity.” These motors—axial flux in design—are dramatically more compact and efficient than traditional radial flux motors, yet they deliver roughly 300 more horsepower than the already-insane Mercedes-AMG One.
To put their vision to the test, Mercedes invited a group of AMG’s toughest critics—die-hard V8 enthusiasts—to drive the GT XX prototype. They knew these drivers would be the hardest to convince. But instead of complaints or hesitation, every one of them emerged from the car smiling. Not one asked Mercedes to tone it down. CTO Markus Schäfer summed it up best: “This is one of the most emotional cars we’ve ever built. It brings motorsport back to the street.”
Beneath the skin, the GT XX is a masterclass in bleeding-edge engineering. The axial flux motors are smaller and lighter, yet offer double the torque density and triple the power density of typical EV motors. Schäfer calls them “the V8 of the electric world”—and he’s not exaggerating. Pair those motors with a cutting-edge battery pack featuring vertically arranged, individually cooled cells, and you get sustained high output for both road and track. It’s a technical feat AMG engineers spent years refining, filing over 30 patents along the way.
But this car isn’t only a science project—it’s meant to be felt. From the moment you get in, the GT XX is designed to stir emotion, not suppress it. While the car is electric, AMG is fully aware that silence isn’t always what customers want. So they spent days listening to recordings of their greatest combustion cars, both on proving grounds and in a sound studio, to determine exactly what an electric AMG should sound like. The result will be tunable for drivers who want something aggressive—or those who prefer a stealthy cruise.
Of course, a car like this demands infrastructure to match. That’s why Mercedes is also developing a new charging system in collaboration with Alpitronic, capable of over 850 kW. That’s enough to add 250 miles of range in just five minutes—if the charging network can keep up. Mercedes believes the world is already shifting to faster charging standards, with China leading the push beyond 400 kW. Still, Schäfer is pragmatic: no one needs 850 kW at home. That kind of power is reserved for public stations, where time is of the essence.
It’s worth noting that this car isn’t a one-off experiment. The production version is coming in 2026, and the GT XX name—while not final—will likely remain close. Mercedes won’t confirm which markets get it first, but Europe and the U.S. are the obvious front-runners, with China expected to follow closely behind. And while AMG is still keeping the exact model name under wraps, one thing is certain: it will not wear the “EQ” badge. That branding stays with the mainstream electric lineup. AMG, says Schiebe, deserves something more exclusive.
Interestingly, despite the full-throttle push into electrification, AMG isn’t walking away from combustion just yet. A next-generation V8 is already in the works, alongside updates to its four- and six-cylinder engines. Hybrid models will continue to serve markets where restrictions on pure combustion cars are tightening, allowing the brand to remain globally relevant while still embracing the electric era.
Design-wise, the GT XX came together surprisingly quickly. Chief design officer Gordon Wagener said it took only a year to move from sketches to a locked-in concept. But what followed was years of technical development—new motors, new software, new battery architecture, and entirely new production processes. AMG’s headquarters in Affalterbach is currently building a new facility to house 700 engineers who will focus solely on integrating software and hardware for future high-performance EVs.
And make no mistake: this will be AMG’s first truly software-defined vehicle. While the CLA is the first SDV from the core Mercedes brand, AMG’s version will push much further, with custom performance logic and real-time, over-the-air dynamic tuning. This car won’t just get smarter over time—it will get faster, louder, and sharper.
In the end, what Mercedes-AMG has created isn’t just a fast EV. It’s an emotional, high-stakes leap into what performance cars will feel like when fossil fuels are no longer part of the equation. In doing so, they’ve preserved the DNA of the brand—not through nostalgia, but through reinvention.
Somewhere not long from now, a photographer named Maria might be winding her way through the Alpine passes of northern Italy at dawn, behind the wheel of a matte gray GT XX. There’s no engine noise echoing through the valleys, no gears to shift—but her heart is racing just the same. The horizon is coming fast. And she’s never felt more alive.