One turbocharged engine and four electric motors.
Mercedes-AMG Project ONE: Formula 1 technology for the road.
Mercedes-AMG Project ONE: Formula 1 technology for the road.
World première at the IAA.
World première at the IAA.
The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE celebrates its world première at the International Auto Show (IAA) in Frankfurt: The two-seater super sports car showcar brings the most sophisticated and efficient Formula 1 hybrid technology from the racetrack to the road almost one to one for the first time, and is the highlight of the 50 years of AMG anniversary. The performance hybrid is likely to have an output in excess of 1000 hp and a top speed of over 350 km/h. The showcar combines exemplary efficiency with monumental racetrack performance and Formula 1 hybrid technology suitable for daily use. That is unique in the world.
One turbocharged engine and four electric motors.
The high-performance plug-in hybrid powertrain of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE comes directly from Formula 1 racing and was realised in close cooperation with the motorsport experts of Mercedes-AMG High-Performance Powertrains in Brixworth. It comprises a highly integrated and intelligently networked system of hybrid turbo combustion engine and four electric motors: One is integrated into the turbocharger, one is directly on the combustion engine and connected to the crankshaft, and two more drive the front wheels.
Rear mid-engine with up to 11,000 rpm.
Rear mid-engine with up to 11,000 rpm.
The 1.6-litre V6 hybrid petrol engine with direct injection and electrically assisted single turbocharging comes straight from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 racing car. To achieve high engine speeds, the mechanical valve springs were replaced with pneumatic valve springs. As a result, the engine installed in a mid-engine position in front of the rear axle effortlessly revs up to 11,000 rpm, which is unique for a road-going vehicle at present. However, for extended durability and the use of commercially available super plus petrol rather than racing fuel, it deliberately remains below the F1 redline speed.
'Driving Performance' of the future.
'Driving Performance' of the future.
Ever since the birth of motorsport, the engineers have dreamt of putting motor racing technology on the road. Mercedes-AMG now makes this dream come true at the highest level.
"Motorsport is not an end in itself for us. Faced with intense competition, we develop technologies from which our production vehicles also subsequently benefit. We are drawing on our experiences and successes from three constructors' and drivers' world championships to bring Formula 1 technology to the road for the first time: in the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE", says Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
The concept car gives numerous specific indications of what to expect from the upcoming production model. "The hypercar is the most ambitious project we have ever undertaken. It marks yet another highlight of the successful, strategic evolution of Mercedes-AMG into a performance and sports car brand. Project ONE raises the bar in terms of what is currently technologically feasible and thanks to its combination of efficiency and performance it represents the absolute benchmark. At the same time, Project ONE provides an outlook on how AMG will define driving performance in the future", says Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
Rev wonders on the front axle.
Rev wonders on the front axle.
The electric motors on the front axle are also true rev wonders, with rotor speeds of up to 50,000 rpm – current state of the art is a speed of 20,000 rpm.
The high-revving engine is additionally boosted by a high-tech turbocharger. The exhaust gas and compressor turbines are separated from each other and located at an optimum position to the exhaust and the intake side of the V6 engine, and connected to each other by a shaft. This shaft features an electric motor with approximately 90 kW which, depending on the operating status, electrically drives the compressor turbine with up to 100,000 rpm – for instance when moving off or following load changes. The Formula 1 designation for this unit is MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit - Heat).
Responds faster than a naturally aspirated V8 engine.
Responds faster than a naturally aspirated V8 engine.
The biggest advantage: the dreaded turbo lag – the delayed response to
accelerator pedal commands owing to the inertia of the large charger – is
completely eliminated. The response time is greatly reduced, and is even
shorter than that of a naturally aspirated V8 engine.
The electric turbocharger brings another advantage: it uses parts of the surplus energy from the exhaust system to generate electricity, and either stores it in the high-voltage lithium-ion battery as part of the energy recovery or provides additional drive power by sending it to another electric motor. This motor produces 120 kW, is installed directly on the engine and is connected to the crankshaft via a spur gear (MGU-K = Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic) – another technology that ensures maximum efficiency and performance in Formula 1.
All-electric front axle.
All-electric front axle.
The thermal efficiency of the combustion engine with electric turbocharger (MGU-H) in conjunction with the electric motor on the crankshaft (MGU-K) will be over 40 percent. This is an unprecedented peak value for production vehicles. There are two more 120 kW electric motors on the front axle.
Each is connected to a front wheel via a reduction gear. The electrically driven front axle allows individual acceleration and braking of each wheel, and therefore a selective torque split (torque vectoring) for particularly high levels of driving dynamics.
Impressive acceleration.
Impressive acceleration.
The driver can move off in all-electric mode, initially with just the electric motors on the front axle driving the hypercar and the electric motor on the crankshaft supporting short-term requests for acceleration.
If the driver presses the accelerator more firmly and commands more power, the V6 engine switches on in addition. The powertrain unleashes its full power as the engine speed increases. Impressive acceleration figures are possible with the Race Start function: acceleration from zero to 200 km/h takes under six seconds. If the driver's foot releases the accelerator again to let the car coast, the system switches to electric drive at the front axle – and during braking under normal driving conditions recovers up to 80 percent of the energy, which is fed back into the battery.
Automated 8-speed manual transmission.
Automated 8-speed manual transmission.
The power will be transferred to the rear wheels by an 8-speed manual transmission that was developed from scratch for the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE. It is actuated hydraulically and can be shifted in automatic mode or manually using the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The car is equipped with a further advanced, weight-optimised ceramic high-performance compound braking system. Its low weight reduces the unsprung masses and thus improves the driving dynamics and agility.
Innovative pushrod suspension.
Innovative pushrod suspension.
Multi-link designs are used at the front and rear. The adjustable coil-over suspension has several special features: Both push-rod spring struts are installed transversely to the direction of travel. The innovative arrangement of the spring/damper unit replaces the function and use of a conventional tubular stabiliser. This solution reliably prevents body roll even during very fast directional changes, without being uncomfortable. The overall set-up of the springs and dampers is configured for perfectly balanced, easily controlled and above all sporty handling characteristics. All-wheel drive and torque vectoring also play a role in this.
Not just a street-legal racer.
Not just a street-legal racer.
The Mercedes-AMG Project ONE will be more than just a street-legal racer that puts the latest Formula 1 hybrid technology on the road one-to-one and combines racetrack performance with full daily practicality. Its purpose is also to obtain extensive knowledge about performance-oriented plug-in hybrid powertrain technology, further advanced suspension layouts and expanded vehicle electronics that will later benefit AMG production cars.
