MERCEDES-AMG GT XX SMASHES EV DISTANCE RECORDS WITH GROUNDBREAKING 24-HOUR RUN

The Mercedes-AMG GT XX electric distance record is one of the most significant EV endurance achievements in automotive history: 3,405 miles (5,479 km) covered in 24 hours at the Nardo high-speed oval in Italy, at an average speed of 186 mph (300 km/h), beating the previous record held by the Xpeng P7 by more than 930 miles. It was not a one-day effort. The same car went on to circle the equivalent of Earth's circumference (24,907 miles) in seven days, 13 hours, 24 minutes, setting over two dozen individual endurance and distance records along the way.

What Is the Mercedes-AMG GT XX?

The GT XX is a concept car, not a production vehicle, built by Mercedes-AMG to showcase the technology that will underpin its upcoming AMG.EA electric platform. The AMG.EA architecture is expected to power a range of future high-performance AMG electric cars, with the AMG C590 cited as a likely early production model. The GT XX is, in essence, a rolling laboratory for three of the most advanced EV technologies in development today.

The run was made with 17 AMG GT3 motorsport drivers rotating shifts around the clock, supported by a crew of over 100 personnel. According to Autocar's full record report, the car stopped only to rapid-charge, with no mechanical failures reported during the seven-day campaign.

The Technology: Three Axial-Flux Motors and 850 kW Charging

Three technologies make the GT XX's performance possible in combination: axial-flux motors, oil-cooled cylindrical battery cells, and ultra-fast charging at 850 kW.

The axial-flux motors (two at the rear, one at the front) were developed by YASA, a UK-based company acquired by Mercedes-Benz. Axial-flux motors are three times more power-dense than conventional radial-flux EV motors: they produce the same output in a fraction of the size and weight. The GT XX's combined output is over 1,341 hp. Manufacturing each motor involves 100 specialised steps, 65 of which are new to Mercedes, with 30 patents filed during development.

The battery uses more than 3,000 cylindrical NCMA (nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminium) cells cooled directly with non-conductive oil, a technique that provides real-time thermal control impossible with conventional coolant-plate systems. The 850 kW charging system (operating at 1,000 amps) adds 400 km (249 miles) of range in five minutes. As Autoblog's technical breakdown explains, this combination of dense energy storage and rapid replenishment is what made a 24-hour average speed of 186 mph achievable: the car spent minimal time stationary.

Records Set in a Single Campaign

The GT XX's testing campaign at Nardo broke endurance marks at 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 hours of continuous operation. Distance records fell at 2,000 km, 5,000 km, 10,000 km, 15,000 km, 20,000 km, and 25,000 km. The Earth-circumference run (24,907 miles) in under eight days is perhaps the most striking single statistic: it demonstrates not just speed, but the sustained reliability of the powertrain, charging system, and tyres across a week of continuous operation at highway speeds.

Michael Schiebe, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG, described the result as proof that high-performance and electrification are not in conflict. The GT XX does not ask drivers to choose between excitement and sustainability: it sets records while emitting nothing from its exhaust.

What the GT XX Means for Future AMG Cars

The AMG.EA platform that the GT XX previews will bring axial-flux motors, ultra-fast charging, and oil-cooled batteries to production AMG vehicles. The first of these is expected to be the AMG C590, a flagship electric performance car that will sit above the EQE AMG in the lineup. For buyers who want extreme electric performance today, TheArsenale carries the Nitid Trinity electric hypercar: a 1,341 hp electric machine that targets the same performance territory as the GT XX concept. The RAESR Tachyon Speed is another electric hypercar prototype that pushes EV performance engineering to its limits. For a coachbuilt Mercedes perspective, the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Venuum 2025 shows what bespoke AMG engineering looks like in a production context. Explore the full TheArsenale electric and performance car collection for vehicles at the frontier of automotive innovation.

Photo: Mercedes-AMG