Mercedes-AMG’s New EV Acts Like It Has A V8. It's Way Better Than I Imagined

AMG really went all-out to simulate not only the sound but also the feel of a V-8 in its upcoming EV, and the result is great.

Mercedes C590 prototype

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

Andrei Nedelea

By: Andrei Nedelea

Jul 21, 2025 at 6:07pm ET

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When Mercedes invited us a few weeks ago for a shotgun ride in a prototype of its upcoming all-electric model from AMG, I was more excited than I’ve ever been for a passenger ride.

The prototype is the production version of the AMG GT XX concept—the one with the Bluetooth wheels, designed to rival the Porsche Taycan with up to three axial flux motors that should give it over 1,000 horsepower.

Mercedes C590 prototype

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

But my passenger ride wasn’t about how quick the C590 prototype is in a straight line. It was all about experiencing its simulated V8 engine experience, which pleasantly surprised me.

What type of sound EVs make when accelerating, or even if they should make any sound at all, is a polarizing topic, but these sounds have been getting better and better as of late.

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The current pinnacles of the genre are BMW’s Hans Zimmer-composed spaceship-type sounds, which make you feel like you’re the main character in a sci-fi flick, and Hyundai’s approach. The Korean manufacturer simulates an actual combustion engine, which you can rev in neutral and which has a redline that urges you to shift up, just like in a gas car.

Mercedes C590 prototype

Photo by: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-AMG elevates the idea by doing more than just pumping fakery through the speakers. It also uses what are probably resonators in the front seats to make you feel some of the vibration that you would associate with a big V8 mill. The seat subtly vibrates under acceleration in a crescendo as the fake revs build, and when the driver lifts off, you feel the overrun crackle through your spine thanks to the same system.