Mercedes' AMG E-Cell - a Tesla zapper?

Mercedes' AMG E-Cell. Photo / Supplied

Expect a high-voltage price for this electric supercar. Not that it wants steal thunder from Tesla's updated battery-powered Roadster 2.5, of course, but Mercedes has taken the wraps off its take on an electric supercar, the SLS AMG E-Cell.

The regular gullwing SLS produces some 420kW and 650Nm of torque from its 6.2-litre V8, while the E-Cell has a synchronous electric motor powering each wheel for a combined output of 392kW and a tsunami force of 880Nm of torque.

All of that motive power is accessible from right off the line, allowing the E-Cell to sprint to 100km/h in four seconds, about the same as the petrol version, despite a weight penalty.

Mercedes plans to have the car on sale by 2012. Expect it to cost close to $600,000.

Powering the E-Cell is a bank of liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries in front of the firewall, in the centre tunnel and behind the seats. Bringing the electric car to a halt are 402mm energy-recuperating carbon-ceramic brakes. If its "electric" paint job isn't enough to tell the car apart, there are energy-saving LED headlights, a wider grille and an automatically extending front air dam. Inside there's a 25cm touchscreen, replacing almost all the dashboard buttons.