CES 2022
Mercedes Vision EQXX – 1000 km record just missed
Mercedes Vision EQXX 2022
© press-inform – the press office
The Vision EQXX study is celebrated as the most efficient Mercedes of all time. This is made possible, among other things, by air resistance like in a racing car – but the record of 1000 km range was achieved by a China SUV.
With the Vision EQXX technology study at CES 2022 in Las Vegas, Daimler wanted to ring in the car year with a clap of thunder. The EQXX was supposed to be the first electric car to achieve a range of 1,000 kilometers. But bad luck for Daimler, the GAC Aion LX plus collected the prestigious record shortly beforehand. The Chinese simply tuned the 4.84 meter long production car with a mega battery. With 144.4 kWh on board, the route from Berlin to Munich should be possible without charging. The EQXX aims to achieve the same with just 100 kWh, together with intelligent lightweight construction, modern technology modules and sensational aerodynamics – the drag coefficient is just 0.17. That certainly sounds more forward-looking. On the other hand, the EQXX is nothing but a drivable study. The China SUV, on the other hand, will be available to buy with the Monster battery later this year.
IAA study was the inspiration
In terms of appearance, the futuristic EQXX is no surprise, it follows the IAA study of 2019. In the study, too, you could already see the extendable rear, which generates the low drag coefficient. Unfortunately, so much slipperiness has its price. With its flat front, low roofline and long rear, the study looks like a racing car. That looks good at a trade fair, but at a time when lush SUVs with spacious interiors dominate the markets, such a racing flounder is an exotic niche vehicle from the outset. You should also be amazed at the weight, the EQXX with a battery “only” weighs 1700 kilograms. Aluminum, CFRP and GFRP modules save weight, but should drive the price up.
Extremely efficient
Efficiency was also taken into account when choosing the motor. In view of the sporty exterior, the 204 hp electric motor on the rear axle is rather sparingly dimensioned. In efficient operation, the Vision EQXX drives up to 140 km / h. The forged magnesium wheels show off their 20-inch circumference from the side, but are as narrow as possible. The real consumption of the future model should be less than ten kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers, more economical than any other vehicle. This is how the 1000 kilometer range comes together. “The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX shows how we imagine the future of the electric car. In just one and a half years we have developed the most efficient Mercedes of all time – with an energy consumption of less than 10 kWh per 100 kilometers,” says Daimler CEO Ola Källenius , “The Vision EQXX has a range of more than 1,000 kilometers on a single charge – powered by a battery that would fit in a small car.”
Technically, the EQXX sets a lot of records. Special anodes increase the energy density of the batteries. The motor converts an incredible 95 percent of the battery energy into drive energy for the wheels. The Vision battery pack packs 100 kWh of energy in 50 percent less volume and 30 percent less weight than the current high-tech package in the Mercedes EQS. The roof panels with their solar cells are now almost standard, after all, something like this can now be retrofitted to every camper. In practice, they should be good for a range of 25 kilometers.
Exciting technology
Inside, the EQXX looks almost like a production vehicle. There are four individual seats, a 47.5-inch display with 8K resolution, which extends across the entire dashboard, and a center console with cup holders, which underlines the overall puristic character. You search in vain for leather, the EQXX is vegan.
Even if the Vision EQXX gains experience in test operation, it will remain with a single piece or a mini-series. The revolution in e-car construction will certainly not start with a show car in which the engineers have tried everything that is technically possible and disregarded costs and everyday benefits.
The Tesla share price reacted in its own way to the Daimler presentation – it went up. The Vision EQXX then did not seem too dangerous.