Skip advert
Advertisement

Mercedes SLS Electric Drive

The Mercedes SLS Electric Drive delivers 730bhp and costs £333,000

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Find your Mercedes SLS AMG
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The SLS Electric Drive is more than an SLS stuffed with batteries – it’s the result of years of hard work to show what’s possible with electric cars. Straight line performance is incredible, throttle response is electric, but it’s the cornering abilities – thanks to each independently driven wheel – that really sets it apart. If you can stomach the price tag, live with it being left-hand-drive only and put up with the limited range, the SLS Electric drive is actually more rewarding to drive than the standard car – minus the V8 rumble, of course.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Tesla Roadster pioneered the all-electric sports car segment, but things have moved on and Mercedes now rules the roost. The SLS Electric Drive isn’t just the most powerful electric road car ever – with 730bhp and 1,000Nm of torque it puts even the 622bhp SLS Black Series to shame. But can it deliver the same raw thrills as the petrol-powered model?

Based on our short drive, the electric version of the SLS takes everything the V8-powered models can do in a corner and moves the game so far forward that the conventional car seems like yesterday’s technology.

The straight-line performance from the four-electric motors is completely addictive, too: bury the throttle and you’re launched from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds (three-tenths down on the SLS Black Series). But, rather than delivering the brutal accelerative assault of the Black Series, it feels oddly, serenely quick. You step on the throttle and it jumps ahead instantly before settling into a constant surge that shows no signs of stopping.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

RS6 Avant

2014 Audi

RS6 Avant

74,500 milesAutomaticPetrol4.0L

Cash £29,750
View RS6 Avant
I-PACE

2023 Jaguar

I-PACE

21,689 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £22,657
View I-PACE
I-PACE

2020 Jaguar

I-PACE

71,152 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £15,903
View I-PACE
I-PACE

2020 Jaguar

I-PACE

22,012 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £20,536
View I-PACE

When it comes to slowing down, you'll be using the brakes less than you think. Using the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel you can decide on the level of regenerative braking, and on the top level there’s so much speed being converted in to battery power that you’ll rarely need to touch the brake pedal.

In the corners the SLS Electric Drive is astonishing. Plenty of cars can brake each wheel with precision depending on the traction available, but this is the only one that can accelerate each wheel the same way.

It takes some familiarisation, but on the track, you could take the SLS and slide it into corners with outrageous enthusiasm, only for the tyres to find bite where other cars would find none.

There are flaws, though. The much-vaunted synthesised noise feature isn’t really loud enough, nor is it perfectly paired to acceleration and speed. Then there’s the range, which officially stands at 155 miles, but even Mercedes admits that 125 miles is more realistic. Oh, and without the optional quick-charger it’ll take 20 hours to charge from a domestic socket (with the quick-charger it takes three hours).

Even so, this is a brilliant piece of engineering that could very well change the way we see electric cars forever.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,160Avg. savings £2,739 off RRP*Used from £8,800
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £1,704 off RRP*Used from £7,295
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £26,995Avg. savings £8,094 off RRP*Used from £13,290
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £14,495
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring
Baby Nissan Juke exclusive image - rear

New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring

Nissan to fast-track development of new battery-powered city car to take on forthcoming Volkswagen ID.1, and our exclusive images preview how it could…
News
18 Apr 2025
You can run an electric car with nowhere at home to charge it, honest
Opinion - ease of EV ownership

You can run an electric car with nowhere at home to charge it, honest

Chris Rosamond explains why ultra-fast charging could convince you to make the switch to driving an EV
Opinion
17 Apr 2025
Best SUVs to buy 2025
Best SUVs - header image

Best SUVs to buy 2025

There are plenty of great SUVs to choose from, so we’ve picked out the very best
Best cars & vans
17 Apr 2025