World premiere
Mercedes presents the electric car prototype “Vision EQXX” with a range of 1000 kilometers for the first time
The Mercedes Vision EQXX
© Daimler AG
Solar cells on the roof, artificial intelligence in the cockpit and recycled materials in the interior: Mercedes has presented an electric car prototype that is designed to impress at all levels in terms of modernity and sustainability. The unusually long range should speak for itself.
The be-all and end-all of electric cars is their range. According to the “Ecotest” of the ADAC, the Ford Mustang and the Polestar 2 single engine, each 480 kilometers, have the greatest range of the several dozen tested electric vehicles. The Tesla Model X 100D follows in third place with a range of 451 kilometers. The “Vision EQXX” from Mercedes presented on Monday at its world premiere, on the other hand, should more than double: According to internal digital simulations at Mercedes, it can be assumed that the prototype, which weighs around 1750 kilograms, will achieve a range of over 1000 kilometers in road traffic according to the WLTP .
According to Mercedes, the unusually long range of the Vision EQXX has been achieved by optimizing all components: lightweight materials, a “highly efficient” electric drive train, tires with extremely low rolling resistance, “sophisticated” aerodynamics and state-of-the-art software. The battery with a capacity of 100 kWh can store more energy thanks to a higher silicon content and a specific composition. The energy consumption should be less than ten kWh per 100 kilometers.
The battery has almost the same amount of energy as the EQS battery, the electric sedan from Mercedes, but is only half the size and 30 percent lighter, says Adam Allsopp, Advanced Technology Director at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains. With a range of 784 kilometers according to WLTP, the EQS has so far the greatest range of any Mercedes electric vehicle.
The Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Ola Källenius states that the battery used fits in a small car. In addition, there are solar cells on the vehicle roof, which, under ideal conditions, should provide an additional range of up to 25 kilometers for long-distance journeys. The around 200 hp Vision EQXX should overcome the previous technological limits and set the new benchmark for energy efficiency, according to Mercedes.
Mercedes relies on sustainable production
In addition, “resource conservation and the best possible environmental compatibility were equal development goals” during the development. The materials in the interior were partly made from recycled PET bottles, mushrooms and a sustainable plastic substitute made from waste. According to Mercedes, the carpets are made from 100 percent bamboo fibers. The carbon footprint will be significantly reduced through the use of sustainable materials, according to the car manufacturer.
Artificial intelligence is used to operate the system, which is supposed to imitate the functioning of the human brain. The equipment also includes a real-time 3D navigation system.
Developments should flow into model production
Mercedes developed the Vision EQXX in just 18 months. Experts from Formula 1 were also involved. “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,” says Källenius. Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Purchasing, announced: “The technology program behind the Vision EQXX will redefine future models and vehicle functions from Mercedes-Benz and enable.”
Although a ready-to-drive single piece of the Vision EQXX is to be created, it is unlikely that the prototype will become a series vehicle. Nevertheless, Mercedes wants to integrate many of the developments in the production of compact and mid-range vehicles in the future.
Sources: Daimler AG, ADAC Ecotest, ADAC Mercedes Vision EQXX