Mercedes has set a new EV record by driving its Concept AMG GT XX over 3,400 miles in 24 hours

Mercedes has broken no fewer than 25 long distance records during a quite bonkers ultramarathon run in its very orange new Concept AMG GT XX.

A team of 17 racing drivers (which included George Russell and Doriane Pin) were involved in the record run, as two Concept AMG GT XXs lapped the high-speed test track at Nardò for almost eight days. We’re told the drivers took two-hour stints, accelerating up to 186mph and sitting there until a charge was required. Sounds… fun.

The record that Merc is shouting loudest about seems to be its distance of 5,479km (3,404 miles) in a 24-hour period, which is admittedly quite incredible. The previous EV record during that time was apparently under 4,000km. And it’s not really the XX’s 1,340bhp from three axial-flux motors that got it there – it’s more down to the remarkably impressive charging speeds, which we’re told averaged out at around 850kW. That means around 250 miles of range can be recovered if you’re plugged in for five minutes. Of course, you’re unlikely to find many 850kW chargers in the wild these days, but it’s good signs for Merc’s new AMG.EA platform and tech.

The two cars crossed the finish line just 25km apart at the end of the week-long marathon, and both covered enough distance to literally circumnavigate the globe. Yep, that was another record that Merc took for EVs, with a distance of 40,075km (24,901 miles – the circumference of the earth at the equator) covered in seven days, 13 hours, 24 minutes and seven seconds. We won’t go into minute detail on all the other distance and time records it set along the way, but the drivers did push on to grab one more gong at 25,000 miles. Apparently, the ambient temperature reached a toasty 35°C during the week too.

Merc has previous with exceptionally orange things at Nardò too, of course, having set a number of records series of different C111s in the 1970s and 1980s.

“The goal is to redefine the limits of what is technically possible in the age of electric drives. So, what could be more fitting than to go chasing records once again? Our mission: to redefine the very standards of performance with groundbreaking technologies and innovations,” said Merc CTO Markus Schäfer.

“The motivation and dedication of the cross-functional team from Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz Mobility, and our F1 engine experts at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains throughout the entire preparation phase were boundless. I am immensely proud of the unprecedented achievement of the entire team in this unique record drive.”