Going The Distance

Mercedes-Benz is setting new standards with its prototype Vision EQXX. “1,000 kilometres (620 miles) in real-world conditions on one single battery charge“ was the EV’s mission. On 5 April 2022 it became reality. The sleek little speedster’s charging port was sealed under the supervision of a TÜV expert, and the flags raised for the trip from Sindelfingen (near Stuttgart) via Milan (Italy) to Cassis (South of France).
By Ruben Vorwald

The car had covered a total of 1,008 kilometres (around 626 miles) when it reached its destination after 12 hours and two minutes and had enough accu left for another 140 kilometres according to the on-board computer. Top speeds of 140km/h were reached en route. On average, the speed was around 87.4km/h, current consumption 8.7 kWh/100 km, which roughly translates into 2.50 € per 100 kilometres. 

Going the distance (1.000 kilometres/620miles) called for many new approaches to vehicle construction. The car’s drag coefficient is 0.17 – a new world record for a passenger car with road approval. (By comparison, a VW Golf 8 has a drag coefficient of 0.28). To achieve this figure, the rear track is 50mm narrower than the front. A retractable rear diffuser extends automatically at 60km/h. All in the interest of aerodynamics. That‘s why the air intakes on the front are closed as standard and only open when necessary to cool the powertrain or to air the interior. Large narrow 20-inch tyres also reduce aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance. 

Lightweight construction measures and carbon vehicle parts are only mentioned here in passing as the car still weighs in at 1.8 tonnes. The battery weighs 495 kilos. The energy carrier, which can store around 100 kWh, measures only 79 x 50 x 4 inches. This is not a quantum leap in terms of capacity, but in conjunction with the car‘s enormous efficiency, it seems to add up.
To reduce energy consumption further, 117 solar cells on the roof feed the 12V battery and the auxiliary systems and can thus generate up to about 16 miles extra range.

The Mercedes Vision EQXX is powered on the rear axle by a 180kW engine. The engineers have succeeded in minimising energy losses across the powertrain and sending 95 per cent of the energy from the battery to the rear wheels. 

In the spirit of sustainability, the interior has been completely furnished in vegan manner. Animal products have been replaced by alternatives like cactus and mushroom leather or bamboo fibres. The seats have been covered in recycled plastic fabrics. The highlight is the “dashboard“. An enormous 47.5-inch 8K screen spans the entire dash with sufficient space for digital installations and infotainment.

Mercedes-Benz say all innovations are very closely oriented to series production and will soon find their way into production vehicles. At the latest, the developments from this study will also be found in Mercedes-Benz compact and mid-range cars on the MMA platform to be launched in 2025. 

How do you like the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX? Do you agree with the “Accu-capacity good, efficiency better“ approach? Do you think the trend has to come back from large SUVs to smaller, streamlined cars? Please let me know your views: ruben.vorwald@hanning-kahl.com