Mercedes-AMG GT XX redefines electric performance with record runs

Mercedes-AMG GT XX covered 40,075 km in 7 days, 13 hours, setting 25 endurance records at Nardo. The electric prototype shows AMG.EA platform potential for 2026.

Mercedes-AMG has once again reminded the world that records are part of its DNA. At the Nardò test track, the experimental electric car CONCEPT AMG GT XX covered a distance equal to the Earth's equator — 40,075 kilometers. The run took only 7 days, 13 hours and 24 minutes, during which the car set 25 world records. Among them was the 24-hour benchmark: 5,479 kilometers, more than 1,500 beyond the previous best for an electric vehicle.

The foundation of this achievement lies in the car’s technology. It is powered by three axial-flux motors developed by British specialist YASA, combined with a new liquid-cooled battery. This combination allowed the GT XX to sustain an average speed of around 300 km/h and to recharge at up to 850 kW. For context, today’s leading EVs such as the Porsche Taycan and Lucid Air peak at about 300 kW, while the Rimac Nevera claims 500 kW. In the AMG’s case, just five minutes on the charger could restore roughly 400 kilometers of range.

The challenge was staged under demanding conditions: ambient temperatures at the southern Italian track rose to 35°C, the asphalt was fully exposed to the sun, and drivers rotated in two-hour stints. The lineup included endurance specialists as well as Formula 1 driver George Russell, highlighting the project’s sporting edge.

Mercedes has a long tradition at Nardò. In the 1970s and 1980s, the brand’s C111 prototypes set numerous speed and endurance benchmarks, then focused on diesel and petrol innovations. The GT XX now carries that spirit into the electric era.

When compared with combustion-engine endurance feats, the gap is still visible. Volkswagen’s W12 prototype covered nearly 7,741 kilometers in 24 hours back in 2002. Yet in the EV segment, AMG’s accomplishment stands as a defining milestone. More importantly, the run validated the new AMG.EA architecture, which is scheduled to underpin series-production AMG electric models in 2026.

In the end, the GT XX mission was not just about headlines. It served as a landmark moment, connecting Mercedes’ legacy of record-breaking with the company’s move into an electric future — where technological ambition must align with long-term sustainability.