Mercedes AMG to use F1 tech on road; e-turbos likely to make way in future cars

Mercedes-Benz's performance brand AMG is now looking forward to use the Formula One technology in their upcoming production model cars. The company is planning to use the electric turbochargers for the new models which not only enhances the performance but also increases the fuel economy of the vehicle. The officials of AMG performance divisions are under constant discussion with their F1 counterpart to fuse the technology in their mainstream cars.

Jochen Martin Schmid, Head of Powertrain Development at AMG said, “ His team is meeting regularly with the F1 outfit to develop plans that could leverage the latest tech into mainstream production cars.” He also mentioned, “In any case, some ideas of that concept could be transferred to road cars and could maybe be an improvement and give us an advantage. “We are linked together and working together on technical ideas, thinking ahead that someday even we may overtake some of the F1 technologies – even the principles – in the road cars.”

Though the technology of Formula One car cannot be directly woven into the road cars but Mr Schmid hinted that AMG will further look to use the hybrid F1 engine that can improve the performance of upcoming cars. He also said that the more the freedom is provided to designers and engineers the more the technology will used in street legal cars and eventually the mainstream models can overtake F1 in race of technology in future.

As seen recently,  Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team has won eight out of nine Formula One races and the only time the team failed to win is in the Canadian Grand Prix, where Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo scored his maiden victory by taking advantage of brake trouble in both the Mercedes F1 cars driven by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Currently, the Mercedes AMG Petronas uses a powerful electric-assisted 1.6-litre turbo charged V6 engines with an innovative turbo charger system. After the British Grand Prix, Mercedes with 326 points is leading the 2014 Constructors' Championship, way ahead of Red Bull Racing Renault with 168 points and Ferrari with 106 points.

Mr Schmid also said, “The problem with the F1 is that they rev really quite high, and if you were to transfer this exactly to the production car then driveability wouldn’t be so good at lower speeds”

Source: Drive