Tag Archives: EV

NEW CARS

Mercedes-AMG Unveils 1,169-HP Electric GT 4-Door Coupe

The Mercedes-AMG era of thunderous V8s and tire-smoking excess isn’t dead—it’s just been plugged in. With the unveiling of the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, AMG has fired its loudest shot yet in the rapidly escalating EV horsepower war, and the numbers are almost absurd: up to 1,169 horsepower, 2,000 Nm of torque, and enough charging speed to make today’s EVs look prehistoric.

At first glance, the new GT 4-Door Coupe barely resembles the gasoline-powered AMG GT models that came before it. Instead, this electric flagship takes heavy inspiration from the wild AMG GT XX Concept, trading long-hood aggression for a smoother, more futuristic silhouette shaped as much by airflow as by aesthetics. The result is sleek rather than brutal, but still unmistakably AMG.

The front fascia is dominated by an illuminated closed grille flanked by headlights connected through a full-width LED strip, while the rear features one of the most distinctive light signatures AMG has ever attempted—three glowing elements on each side, sitting beneath another horizontal light bar. It looks more concept car than production sedan, and that’s entirely the point.

AMG engineers obsessed over aerodynamics here, and it shows. Active aero elements beneath the bodywork constantly adjust airflow, while even the 19- to 21-inch wheels are sculpted for efficiency. The payoff is a remarkably slippery drag coefficient of just 0.22, a figure that puts the big AMG in genuine EV hyper-sedan territory.

Inside, the GT 4-Door Coupe abandons nearly every trace of analog simplicity. Screens dominate the cabin. A 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster sits ahead of the driver, while twin 14-inch displays stretch across the dashboard—one for infotainment and another dedicated to the front passenger. It’s dramatic, expensive-looking, and exactly what buyers in this segment now expect.

Still, AMG hasn’t forgotten performance theatrics. Three rotary controllers mounted on the center console operate the new AMG Race Engineer interface, allowing drivers to tweak throttle response, chassis behavior, grip settings, and cornering characteristics with race-car-like precision. There’s also enough luxury to remind you this thing is still a grand tourer: leather-covered sports seats, carbon-fiber trim, dual wireless phone charging, illuminated cupholders, and a panoramic “Sky Control” glass roof that can switch from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button while projecting AMG graphics overhead.

Practicality? Surprisingly decent. The rear hatch opens to reveal 507 liters of cargo space—enough for weekend luggage, golf bags, or perhaps the emotional baggage of traditional AMG fans still mourning naturally aspirated engines.

Then come the numbers.

The entry-level AMG GT 55 uses a triple-motor axial-flux setup producing 816 horsepower and a colossal 1,800 Nm of torque. AMG claims a 0–100 km/h sprint in 2.8 seconds and a 300-km/h top speed with the optional Drivers Package.

But the real headline belongs to the AMG GT 63. Its three electric motors unleash 1,169 horsepower and 2,000 Nm, enough to catapult the four-door coupe to 100 km/h in just 2.4 seconds. Top speed remains electronically capped at 300 km/h, though the limiting factor may be physics—or bravery.

Both models use a 106-kWh battery pack capable of delivering up to 700 kilometers of WLTP range. More impressive is the charging capability: the system supports up to 600 kW charging speeds, allowing approximately 460 kilometers of range to be added in just 10 minutes under ideal conditions. If real-world infrastructure catches up, this could become one of the first EVs that genuinely makes charging stops feel irrelevant.

And because AMG knows silence alone won’t satisfy loyalists, the company has created AMGFORCE Sport+, a drive mode that synthesizes the sound of a roaring V8 both inside and outside the vehicle. Purists will roll their eyes. Customers will probably love it.

Additional drive modes include Comfort, Sport, Race, Slippery, Individual, and—for the first time ever in an AMG model—Eco mode. Yes, an AMG with an Eco button. Welcome to 2026.

Production begins this summer at Mercedes’ Sindelfingen plant, with pricing still under wraps. Expect it to land deep in six-figure territory and squarely against rivals like the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT and Lucid Air Sapphire.

Whether enthusiasts are ready or not, AMG’s electric future has arrived—and it’s faster than almost anything wearing an AMG badge before it.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

NEW CARS

Škoda Epiq: The Czech Brand’s €26,000 Electric Gatecrasher That Thinks Small, Acts Big

At a world premiere in Zurich, Škoda Auto pulled the wraps off the all-new Škoda Epiq—a compact electric SUV that looks engineered with a ruler, a spreadsheet, and a very clear mission: make EV ownership feel normal, spacious, and (crucially) affordable.

Priced from around €26,000, the Epiq isn’t trying to be a halo car. It’s trying to be the car. And in true Škoda fashion, it leans hard into practicality while quietly packing some of the brand’s most advanced tech yet.

Modern Solid, Meet Real-World Logic

The Epiq is the first production expression of Škoda’s “Modern Solid” design language, and it shows. The front end is clean and tightly resolved, dominated by T-shaped LED signatures framing a glossy black “Tech-Deck Face” panel. It’s minimalist without feeling sterile, more “engineered object” than styling exercise.

At 4,171 mm long, it sits squarely in the compact SUV class, but its stance suggests something more substantial. A high shoulder line, wide track visuals, and short overhangs give it that planted, slightly chunky confidence Škoda buyers tend to prefer.

Aerodynamics, meanwhile, have clearly been taken seriously. A drag coefficient of 0.275 is achieved through active cooling flaps, wheel deflectors, underbody shielding, and carefully sculpted airflow channels—proof that efficiency is now as much a design constraint as aesthetics.

MEB+ and Front-Wheel Drive: A Škoda First

Under the skin, the Epiq debuts Volkswagen Group’s updated MEB+ architecture for compact EVs, and notably becomes Škoda’s first front-wheel-drive electric model.

That shift matters. It allows tighter packaging, reduced mass, and more interior space where it counts. The result is a car that prioritizes cabin volume over mechanical complexity—very Škoda, just electrified.

Battery options range from a 38.5 kWh LFP unit to a 55 kWh NMC pack, supporting outputs from 85 kW to 155 kW. The top Epiq 55 version delivers up to 440 km of range and DC fast charging from 10–80% in about 24 minutes.

Performance isn’t headline-grabbing, but it’s not supposed to be. Even the most powerful variant tops out at 160 km/h, reinforcing its role as an efficiency-first everyday SUV rather than a backroad bruiser.

Space: The Real Party Trick

If there’s one area where the Epiq punches above its weight, it’s packaging.

Despite its compact footprint, it offers a 475-liter boot—one of the largest in its class—plus a 25-liter frunk and over 28 liters of additional cabin storage. Door bins, hooks, compartments, and clever cubbies are everywhere, continuing Škoda’s long-standing obsession with “Simply Clever” solutions.

Rear passenger space also benefits from the long wheelbase (2,601 mm), giving the Epiq proportions that feel more MPV-adjacent than traditional crossover.

Inside: Recycled, Reconfigured, Refined

The interior is where Škoda’s EV pivot becomes most obvious. Materials are fully animal-free, with upholstery made entirely from recycled polyester fibres. Across trims, the cabin mixes minimalist surfaces with textured fabrics and subtle ambient lighting.

Different design themes—Studio, Loft, and Suite—range from functional black-and-grey simplicity to more upscale suede-like finishes with layered patterns. Even higher-spec versions lean into warmth rather than luxury excess.

There’s also a clear push toward sustainability beyond marketing buzzwords: more than 34 kg of recycled materials are used per vehicle, including interior plastics and practical accessories like scrapers and cable storage gear.

Tech and Assistance: Small Car, Big Systems

The Epiq is equipped with a 13-inch Android-based infotainment system featuring Google Maps, Spotify, and YouTube integration, alongside Škoda’s connected services via the MyŠkoda app.

Driver assistance is surprisingly comprehensive for the segment. Travel Assist 3.0 brings adaptive lane centering, traffic light response, and advanced parking functions including remote operation. Safety tech includes Side Assist, Front Assist, fatigue monitoring via camera, and up to seven airbags.

Optional upgrades push further into semi-automated territory with intelligent park assist and enhanced camera systems.

Škoda’s Most Important EV Yet?

The Epiq isn’t chasing headlines with outrageous acceleration figures or concept-car theatrics. Instead, it’s doing something arguably more important in today’s EV landscape: making the electric crossover feel like a rational default choice.

Compact outside. Big inside. Efficient, connected, and priced to actually matter.

If Škoda executes it as promised, the Epiq won’t just expand the brand’s EV lineup—it could become the model that normalizes it.

Source: Škoda

News

BYD Turns EV Charging Into a Pit Stop

There was a time—not that long ago—when a 150-kW fast charger felt like the future. Then came 350 kW, and suddenly “coffee break charging” became the industry’s favorite buzz phrase. Now, BYD has effectively drop-kicked that entire narrative into irrelevance.

The Chinese giant has confirmed that its next-generation charging tech is headed to Europe, and it’s not arriving quietly. Over the next 12 months, BYD plans to deploy 6,000 fast chargers outside China, half of them planted firmly across the European map. That’s ambitious. What’s borderline absurd is the hardware itself.

We’re talking about chargers capable of delivering up to 1,500 kW. Yes, kilowatts—not a typo, not a rounding error. That’s more than four times the output of today’s quickest widely available public chargers. If current infrastructure made EV ownership convenient, BYD’s “Flash” network threatens to make it almost trivial.

And here’s the kicker: it’s not a walled garden. Unlike some charging ecosystems that feel like exclusive clubs, BYD is opting for inclusivity. The chargers will use CCS2 connectors, meaning they’ll play nice with most European EVs. Denza-branded chargers will appear at dealerships selling Denza models, while public installations will carry the Flash name. Behind the scenes, BYD plans to partner with existing charging providers rather than reinvent the wheel—or the grid.

Of course, headline numbers are only half the story. BYD claims its latest battery tech can take a compatible car from 10 to 70 percent in just five minutes, and to a near-full 97 percent in nine. That’s not charging—that’s a pit stop. It fundamentally reshapes how you think about long-distance EV travel. Range anxiety doesn’t disappear; it just becomes irrelevant.

The first beneficiaries of this high-voltage bravado will be the Denza lineup, including the theatrical Denza Z9GT. A three-motor, all-electric shooting brake packing a 123-kWh battery and enough punch to hit 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds, it reads like a spec-sheet fever dream. But it’s also a statement: performance and convenience no longer need to live in separate conversations.

Then there’s the curveball—the Denza D9 DM-i. A plug-in hybrid minivan probably isn’t what you picture when someone says “charging revolution,” but here it is, quietly rewriting expectations. Its 58.5-kWh battery can gulp down up to 559 kW, enabling the same five-minute 10–70 percent charge window. In a seven-seat MPV with 209 km of electric range and a total reach of 950 km, that’s not just impressive—it’s practical. Especially when some rival plug-in hybrids still treat DC fast charging like an optional personality trait.

Naturally, BYD isn’t alone in this arms race. Geely has already hinted that its own next-gen chargers and “Golden Brick” battery tech could push speeds even further. Because of course they could—this is 2026, and escalation is the only constant.

Not everyone is convinced, though. Over in Munich, BMW is playing the role of cautious realist. Markus Fallböhmer, the company’s head of battery production, has openly questioned whether chasing extreme charging speeds comes at a cost. Push one metric to the limit, he argues, and something else—longevity, reliability—inevitably gives way.

It’s a fair point. Physics, after all, doesn’t do hype.

Still, if BYD can deliver even a fraction of what it’s promising—consistently, reliably, and at scale—it won’t just be raising the bar. It’ll be moving it so far ahead that the rest of the industry will have no choice but to sprint just to stay in frame.

Source: BYD