Mercedes-AMG GT XX Breaks Charging Power Record

Mercedes-AMG has taken another bold step into the future of electrification with the Concept AMG GT XX. Fresh from breaking 25 performance records on the high-speed track in Nardo, Italy, the prototype has now made history again. This time, it was not on the circuit, but at the charging station.
 

The Mercedes-AMG Concept GT XX has achieved over one megawatt of charging power using a single CCS cable, a breakthrough that marks a significant leap forward for electric vehicle infrastructure.
 
At a specially developed prototype charging station, the GT XX reached the megawatt threshold just 0.5 seconds after initiating the session. Even more impressively, it sustained this immense output for approximately two-and-a-half minutes.
 
At its peak, the car accepted 1,041 kW of charging power, with current levels climbing to 1,176 amps via a liquid-cooled CCS cable. This enabled the transmission of 17.3 kWh in just one minute, equivalent to around 125 kilometers (78 miles) of range under the WLTP cycle.
 
Such figures are far beyond today’s industry standards. Most leading fast-charging EVs, including models from Tesla and Porsche, currently peak between 270 and 350 kW. By comparison, the AMG prototype’s performance demonstrates what may become possible in the next generation of ultra-high-performance EVs.
 
To “blame” for this achievement is a new high-performance battery, developed in Affalterbach and drawing inspiration from Formula 1. The pack uses cylindrical NCMA (nickel, cobalt, manganese, aluminum) cells, designed tall and slim for both high energy density and efficient cooling.
 
The energy density exceeds 300 Wh/kg, putting the battery among the most advanced in the automotive industry. A laser-welded aluminum cell housing improves both electrical and thermal conductivity, enhancing durability under extreme charging and driving loads.
 

800 volts running through 3,000 individual cells
The battery contains more than 3,000 individual cells, each of which is cooled directly by an electrically non-conductive oil. This direct cell cooling ensures uniform heat distribution, preventing hot spots and enabling sustained high performance without degradation.
 
The system runs at over 800 volts, which allows lighter cabling, reduced weight, and shorter charging times. A smart thermal management system continuously regulates cell temperatures, ensuring peak performance even during extended high-power charging or aggressive driving sessions.
 
While the vehicle technology itself is, indeed, groundbreaking, the supporting infrastructure was equally critical to this record. Mercedes-Benz partnered with Alpitronic, adapting a Megawatt Charging System (MCS) originally designed for heavy-duty trucks.
 
This was converted into a prototype capable of delivering megawatt levels through a relatively slim liquid-cooled CCS cable. The result is a safe, efficient way to channel extreme current into a passenger car, without the need for bulky industrial connectors.
 
This joint development underscores the optimization of both the vehicle and the charging station. By testing and validating megawatt charging in real-world conditions, Mercedes and its partners are laying the groundwork for the next generation of public charging infrastructure.
 
The Concept AMG GT XX is more than a technical showpiece. It serves as a development platform for technologies that will enter series production next year with the AMG.EA high-performance EV architecture.
 
The axial flux motors, capable of producing 1,341 horsepower in an all-wheel-drive setup, and the direct-cooled battery showcased in the GT XX are slated for real-world use, bringing Formula 1-inspired innovations to future AMG road cars.
 

Moreover, the lessons from megawatt charging will inform the rollout of new fast chargers at Mercedes-Benz charging hubs across Europe and North America. These hubs are set to deliver charging speeds far beyond today’s public stations.
 
A laboratory on wheels, the Mercedes-AMG Concept AMG GT XX previews what is coming next from Affalterbach and looks every inch a winning card after a semi-failure with the long-awaited and trouble-plagued Mercedes-AMG One.
 
The Mercedes-AMG GT XX is a concept car of records
The Concept AMG GT XX did not just showcase its ability to charge at unprecedented speeds since it was officially unveiled back in June. It also proved its endurance credentials at the Nardo high-speed track.
 
Over the course of just over seven and a half days, the prototype covered 24,901 miles (40,075 kilometers), the equivalent of circling the Earth, at an average pace of 186 mph (300 kph). This effort required near-constant operation, with the car logging more than 3,293 miles (5,300 kilometers) per day, an achievement that no other electric vehicle has managed under such demanding conditions.
 
Among the 25 records set during the campaign was the greatest distance ever covered by an EV in 24 hours: 3,404 miles (5,479 kilometers), a mark that shattered the previous best by nearly 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers).
 
The GT XX also established new benchmarks across multiple endurance intervals, including 12, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 hours. In addition, it set milestones at cumulative distances of 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, and 25,000 kilometers (1,243, 3,106, 6,124, 9,321, 1,247, and 15,534 miles).