AMG’s foundation stone was laid back on 1st of June 1967. To mark the 55th anniversary of the performance and sports car brand, the production version of the Mercedes-AMG ONE (combined weighted fuel consumption: 8.7 l/100 km; combined weighted CO2 emissions: 198 g/km; combined weighted electrical consumption: 32 kWh/100 km)[1] is celebrating its world premiere. The two-seater super sports car brings the world’s most modern and efficient Formula 1 hybrid drive technology from the race track to the road for the first time. The performance hybrid produces a total output of 782 kW (1063 hp) from one combustion engine and four electric motors, with a top speed capped at 352 km/h. The extremely complex development was carried out in close cooperation with the Formula 1 experts at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth. The Mercedes-AMG ONE will also officially be seen in action for the first time in the UK, as part of the Festival of Speed at Goodwood (23 to 26 June 2022).
The unique hypercar inspires not only with its E PERFORMANCE Formula 1 hybrid drive, but also with further motorsport technology. This ranges from the carbon-fibre monocoque and carbon-fibre body to the load-bearing engine/transmission unit, active aerodynamics and the push-rod suspension. With its complex technology, the two-seater Mercedes-AMG ONE offers even more than a Formula 1 racing car in some cases. It features the AMG Performance 4MATIC+ fully variable all-wheel drive with hybrid-driven rear axle and electrically driven front axle with torque vectoring. It can also drive purely electrically.
“With the Mercedes-AMG ONE, we have more than pushed the envelope. The immense technical challenges of making a modern Formula 1 powertrain suitable for everyday road use have undoubtedly pushed us to our limits. Over the duration of the development period, many may have thought that the project would be impossible to implement. Nevertheless, the teams in Affalterbach and the UK never gave up and believed in themselves. I have the highest respect for all those involved and am proud of this team achievement. To put such a hypercar on wheels is certainly unique. This applies to us as Mercedes-AMG not only from a technical point of view, but also in terms of the close exchange with our loyal customers. Together with us, they have gone through ups but also downs in the course of development. They were an integral part of Project One from the very beginning and can now look forward to the highly exclusive and unique Mercedes-AMG ONE, which has now also been able to clear the next hurdle and passed all ECE certification tests”, says Philipp Schiemer, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
“The performance data of the Mercedes-AMG ONE are ultimately only a small excerpt of what technology is in this vehicle. Apart from a Formula 1 powertrain that generates 1063 hp from a relatively small, highly efficient internal combustion engine in combination with four electric motors, the monumental task was above all the exhaust gas aftertreatment. The Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains teams have really done a great job here. This project was partly a curse and a blessing at the same time. But we have walked the stony path, and as a technician you naturally get carried away with all the details. From the materials used, the exceptional chassis components to the aerodynamic refinements – in terms of complexity, the Mercedes-AMG ONE is hard to beat. In a Formula 1 car, a team of engineers with laptops makes sure that the powertrain starts. With our hypercar, all it takes is the push of a button. This also illustrates the immense software know-how that has gone into this vehicle”, says Jochen Hermann, Technical Managing Director of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.
The E PERFORMANCE hybrid drive of the Mercedes-AMG ONE comes directly from Formula 1 and has been realised in close cooperation with the experts at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth. It consists of a highly integrated and intelligently networked unit comprising one hybrid, turbocharged combustion engine with a total of four electric motors. One has been integrated into the turbocharger, another has been installed directly on the combustion engine with a link to the crankcase and the two remaining motors drive the front wheels.
The 1.6-litre V6 hybrid petrol engine with electrically assisted single-turbocharging corresponds in its technology to the current Formula 1 power unit. The four overhead camshafts are driven by spur gears. To achieve high engine speeds, the mechanical valve springs have been replaced by pneumatic valve springs. The engine, mounted in mid-engine position in front of the rear axle, revs up to 11,000 rpm. However, for longer durability and the use of commercial super plus petrol, it deliberately stays below the F1 rev limit.
The high-revving power unit is boosted by a high-tech turbocharger. The exhaust gas turbine and compressor turbine are positioned at a distance from each other and connected by a shaft. This allows a lower installation position for the turbocharger. On the shaft is an approx. 90 kW electric motor. Electronically controlled, this drives the turbocharger shaft directly, accelerating the compressor wheel up to 100,000 rpm before the exhaust gas flow takes over. The Formula 1 designation for this unit is MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit Heat).
The two 120 kW electric motors on the front axle reach rotor speeds of up to 50,000 rpm. They are each connected to the front wheels via a reduction gear. The front axle, which is thus driven purely electrically, operates wheel-selectively in each case and thus enables individual torque distribution for particularly high driving dynamics (“torque vectoring”). In addition, the two electric motors also allow the braking energy to be optimally used for recuperation – up to 80 percent under everyday driving conditions. This energy is stored in the battery and is available for a longer electric range or for more drive performance. Each electric motor is controlled by its own power electronics located in close proximity to the electric motors in the floor assembly.
The lithium-ion energy storage system is also a special Mercedes-AMG development. Its technology has already proven itself in the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team’s Formula 1 hybrid racing cars under the toughest conditions and can also be found in the battery of the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE. The AMG High Performance Battery combines high power that can be called up frequently in succession with low weight to increase overall performance. Added to this are the fast energy draw and the high power density. This means that during a brisk drive in hilly terrain, for example, drivers can immediately call on the full power potential on uphill stretches, while recuperation is strong when driving downhill.
The arrangement of the battery cells and the cell cooling mirror the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 racing car. For everyday use, however, their number is many times greater in the Mercedes-AMG ONE. The capacity of 8.4 kWh is sufficient for a purely electric range of 18.1 kilometres. Charging is via alternating current and the integrated 3.7 kW on-board charger. In addition, the battery can be supplied with fresh energy via recuperation or from the combustion engine. The lithium-ion, high-voltage battery and the DC/DC converter supporting and charging the 12 V onboard electrical system are accommodated in space-saving configuration in the vehicle floor behind the front axle.
The design of the carbon-fibre body is inspired by the top class of motorsport. But above all, it embodies the Mercedes-AMG principle that fascination is always linked with function. Each component fulfils a task. The mid-engine concept based on a carbon-fibre monocoque plus a load-bearing engine/transmission unit provides the extremely muscular proportions: the cockpit is positioned far forward, as is typical for racing, combined with voluminous wheel arches, a wasp waist and a wide tail.
Designers and aerodynamics experts worked closely together on the design. Even the basic body has been aerodynamically designed for maximum downforce and balance. And this move has been a successful one: the Mercedes-AMG ONE generates downforce from as low as 50 km/h, which becomes increasingly stronger as the speed increases.
The interior design concept follows function on the racetrack and is expressed in the radical design idiom. In this way, Formula 1 technology can be experienced authentically on the race track and on the road. Here, too, every detail has a function. “No styling” is the design consequence resulting from the requirements for this driving machine. The design is a synthesis of sculptural form language and uncompromising racing design. In the bold minimalism of the monocoque interior, the reduced components are emphasised and showcased in terms of design and function.
The ergonomically contoured interior has room for two occupants. The firmly fixed racing seat-pan sculpture combines aesthetically with the footwell to form a single unit. It also merges smoothly into the sill area at the side and becomes an integral part of the highly sculptural monocoque landscape. The backrests of the AMG Motorsport seat pans can be adjusted to two positions: 25o and 30o. The steering wheel is electrically adjustable and the pedal box mechanically adjustable (in eleven steps) so that the driver can adopt an optimal driving position. The passenger footrest is also individually adjustable.
The centre tunnel is also a functional part of the carbon-fibre support structure. It blends fully into the seat sculpture and follows the principle of minimalism with its gently rising contour. A high-quality stowage compartment, a reduced switch panel and the Engine Start button form a single unit. The compartment is designed with a transparent lid. Two mini-USB ports for external audio devices enhance everyday usability. The Start/Stop button is prominently positioned on the tunnel and forms the end of the controls towards the front. The cylindrical housing body, made of real metal, is held laterally by two lugs that protrude organically from the basic volume of the tunnel.
