In many but not all cases, more is better. Balancing more power and greater efficiency is a huge hurdle when it comes to the world’s next generation of vehicles.

It’s a hurdle that stems from wanting to deliver to meet and even exceed customer expectations. Automakers also need to be aware of the various but strict emissions regulations put in place by governments around the world and the associated sustainability targets their companies have created.

A new generation of vehicle architectures, evolving exterior and material design, innovative technology and advanced battery chemistry are all seriously focused on this balance.

To see what’s next, automakers track technological progress through concept vehicles and records. The most recent records belong to Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG, the company’s performance vehicle arm.

In October, AMG announced that the 1,049bhp Mercedes-AMG ONE, a hypercar with Formula 1 powertrain technology, had broken its own lap record at the Nürburgring, knocking six seconds off its time on the track long considered the sport’s gold standard. car record settings.

That time, 6:29.090 minutes, made ONE the first production car to dip under 6:30 in track history.

The ONE has a powertrain consisting of a turbocharged 1.6-liter V6 hybrid engine that is paired with four electric motors. The technology is linked through the Mercedes pedigree to the powertrain in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 and the upcoming new engine family that will serve as the power base for Mercedes-Benz vehicles, starting with the upcoming CLA-Class models.

These CLA-Class models were introduced via the Vision EQXX electric concept car, which recently set its own record by covering a distance of 3,717 kilometers (2,309 miles) on a high-speed track in 24 hours. This distance is equivalent to driving from Norway to Istanbul and approximately the distance between New York City and Santa Barbara, California.

Using a total of 40 charging stops of varying lengths and three teams of two, the Mercedes-Benz team set out to discover the full power of the EQXX’s optimized efficiency. Each charging stop took approximately 10 minutes.

Fast driving and high and low ambient temperatures reduce battery life. Engineers drove the EQXX when air temperatures ranged from 55.4°F at night to 84.2°F during the day. And they drove at an average speed of 154.9 kilometers per hour (96.2 miles per hour).

AMG recently announced that a new high-performance model is on the horizon. The SUV will be the first model built by the company from the ground up to use the new AMG.EA electric high-performance platform. Testing of the model will begin this winter.

AMG models are known for their high-performance outputs and driving dynamics, things that can be enhanced and strained under the weight and safety requirements of a battery electric powertrain.

In an interview in Germany, Mercedes engineers were clear. They are not trying to develop a vehicle with the best range or the fastest off-the-line time at the sacrifice of everything else. The automaker focuses on all-around performance, a checklist that depends on the vehicle’s goals. This will ensure that the vehicle is the best it can be for the customer.