The Mercedes-AMG GT XX has added another record to its list of 25-and-counting. Charging from an experimental EV power outlet, it managed to hit 1,041 kW of peak current – that’s more than a megawatt.
According to the company, the vehicle attained this charging power within less than a second from getting plugged in. It managed to stay there for two and a half minutes before slipping below 1MW.
The automaker used an Alpitronic charging station in Italy to conduct this public experiment. The two companies plan to create a whole charging network in Europe, so having high-power stations is important. The experimental charger they designed was rated “800+ kW” and had intelligent thermal regulation built in to prevent overheating. It also came with a special CCS-standard cable capable of transmitting currents up to 1,176A.
In turn, the EV was prepared with a special battery featuring advanced cooling. While still a prototype at this stage, Mercedes claims this cooling system will become standard for all high-end EVs next year.
The experiment saw 17.3 kilowatt-hours of energy transferred from the charger to the car in 60 seconds. This is an equivalent of 128 kilometers (79.5 miles) of driving range according to the WLTP standard, or 100 kilometers (62 miles) per the EPA standard.
Mercedes-Benz plans to start using Alpitronic outlets at its own charging station network in Europe and North America from 2026. Each charger unit consists of a 1MW external power adapter, multiple outlets and a load-balancing device. A single charger outlet can deliver up to 600kW.
The company reckons that charging at these stations won’t take much more time at all compared to refilling an ICE car. It stresses that the Mercedes-Benz CLA in particular can get enough juice for 325 km (202 miles) of range in just 10 minutes.
Moving forward, the automaker expects to have 10,000 charging stations worldwide by 2030. These will be open to all compatible EVs and not just those made by Mercedes. A single station will typically offer between 4 and 30 individual outlets.
