Whatever happened to the Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive?

What is it?

The first true electric supercar. Under its gullwing doors, the e-SLS mustered four motors delivering a colossal 740bhp and 738lb ft. Despite weighing more than Munich airport it could do 0–62mph in 3.9 seconds. The 548kg battery was supplied by Mercedes High Performance Powertrains, of F1 engine fame.

Did they actually build any?

AMG said it wasn’t merely a tech exercise and it would sell the ’leccy SLS to customers – for a million euro. Demand was, ahem, sluggish, with a reputed nine finding owners between 2013 and 2015.

Where are they now?

AMG’s electric reboot has stuttered: the EQE and EQS 53 are about as driver engaging as a canal boat, and heavier still than the SLS ED. There’s an all-electric four door EV due next year with 1,000bhp, so maybe at last we’ll see the thunderous V8 specialists get to grips with distilling that volcanic AMG character into an electric machine...