Mercedes-Benz’s Vision EQXX electric vehicle concept broke its previous mileage record after traveling 746 miles on a single charge. With a range like that, the average American motorist may require a complete recharge only twice per month.
The driver, Nyck de Vries, a Dutch Formula E driver who competes for the Mercedes-Benz EQ team, took the Vision EQXX from Stuttgart, Germany, to the Silverstone race track in the United Kingdom. He then finished the trip with 11 laps on the track that achieved the vehicle’s top speed (87 mph) before the Vision EQXX finally ran out of battery.
The Vision EQXX’s first distance record on a single charge was 626 miles. That trip occurred in April in temperatures ranging from 37.4 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit. This time, the temperatures were higher, hitting 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Perhaps this played a role in the dramatic improvement.
The Vision EQXX is an extreme efficiency design with a drag coefficient of 0.17. Mercedes-Benz says the battery pack is half the size and 30% lighter than the one in the Vision EQS, with a 20% boost in cell energy density. In addition, the German company claims a 95% battery-to-tire efficiency by leveraging F1 expertise.
Mercedes-Benz also uses a lightweight, air-cooled engine architecture that incorporates active aerodynamic components and a solar roof that adds up to 16 miles of driving range daily.
While the Vision EQXX is an outstanding technical exercise, it is not a production vehicle. However, elements from the Vision EQXX will undoubtedly make their way into Mercedes-Benz’s future electric cars.
The world-leading luxury automaker saw its S-Class deliveries increase by 67%. In addition, its plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicle sales reached 67,800 units in this year’s first quarter despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and semiconductor supply shortage. The brand’s transition to electric models continues to gain momentum.
Due to supply chain constraints, Mercedes-Benz is having trouble meeting the surging demand for its electric vehicles. The company’s chief executive Ola Kaellenius said:
“The customer response to the company’s EQ family of electrified luxury vehicles had been so tremendous that we’re doing everything we can to get the cars to the customers as fast as we can.”
This enthusiastic customer adoption for electric vehicles backs forecasts depicting a future where every new car purchased will be electric by 2040.