Three axial flux motors and 850 kW fast charging? Meet the GT XX.

The pack in the GT XX concept has 3,000 cells, giving the pack an energy density of 300 Wh/kg. The company, in addition to claiming quick recharging and optimal on-track performance, states that the design should also improve overall battery longevity.

The battery pack is a structural element of the vehicle and houses not just the cells but also all switch components and the battery management system. We’ve seen this skateboard design with the battery being a structural element before, and it typically performs well in crash testing.

In the GT XX, the power is sent from the battery pack to three motors packaged as two high-performance drive units. The front unit has a single motor, while the one in the rear has two. Math! Unlike pedestrian radial flux motors, the AMG.EA setup in the GT XX uses axial flux motors.

What are they? They are motors designed for the electromagnetic flux to run parallel to the motor’s axis of rotation. The large components in the motor are shaped like slim discs, and the stator is positioned between the two rotors.

The motor and gearsets are packaged together, with the rear combined drive unit doing most of the forward momentum. The front drive unit helps acceleration, of course, and is also used during regeneration to send recuperated power back into the pack.

In the real world, this axial flux setup is more compact, more efficient, more powerful, and much lighter. On that last part, we’re talking 67 percent lighter than a radial flux configuration. The motors are manufactured in-house at Mercedes at a facility in Berlin.

What’s key to all of this is the innovation that Mercedes is performing with components that are tried and tested. The company isn’t using mythical manufacturing techniques or some futuristic battery technologies. Yes, the axial flux motor production includes 35 world-firsts, but it’s also something that can easily be adapted to a real road car and not just this concept.