Mercedes confirms electric supercar

Mercedes has confirmed it will put a zero-emissions version of the 'gullwing' SLS supercar into production. The conventional SLS is set to become the most powerful production Mercedes ever when it hits the sales floor in Spring 2010, packing a 6.3-litre V8 engine generating 563bhp - and the German maker promises the all-electric version will be a match for it in every way.

The sensational newcomer will be powered by four electric motors - one for each wheel - with a combined output of 526bhp and 649lb.ft of pulling power. To put that last figure into perspective, it's almost twice as much torque as a Ferrari F430 musters. Mercedes claims that the electric SLS will hit the 62mph mark in 'around four seconds'.

Its lithium-ion battery pack and all four motors are mounted as far down in the chassis as possible to keep the centre of gravity low and ensure the SLS is as exciting around the corners as it is in a straight line. Mercedes bosses are saying it will "redefine the super sports car."

There's no word yet on details such as when it will be released, how much it will cost and what its range will be between charges, but Mercedes says it is still very early in development. The maker is looking into various battery options, for example, though it already claims the lightweight, aluminium chassis of the standard car will be unaltered for the electric version. A 2015 release date has been mooted, and because the standard SLS is expected to cost around £155,000 next year, we can assume a price well north of that.

Mark Nichol