Mercedes-Benz has recently revealed the Vision EQXX concept which gives us an idea of what the brand’s electric future will look like. Interestingly, speed was the last thing on the German company’s mind. Instead, there is a massive focus on range.
“The Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX is how we imagine the future of electric cars.” Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG
Futuristic in the front. Old-school in the back.
Part of what makes the design of the Vision EQXX concept so great is how aerodynamic they made it. All in the name of range, with low-rolling-resistance tyres and aerodynamic design, Mercedes-Benz gave the Vision EQXX concept a drag coefficient rating of 0.17.
To further increase the range, solar cells have been added to the roof. This gives the EV an additional 25 km of range and would likely help charge you up when you are parked. While the front is of the car is very now in terms of car design, the rear does a complete time-travel back with flared taillights.
Inside the concept car you are greeted by a massive 8K screen that spans the full length of the dashboard. This isn’t a new idea for Mercedes-Benz but it does show that this is an idea they want to carry forward.
The materials used inside are almost all sustainable, but remember, this is a concept, not a production car. The seats have been made from cactus plants while the trim uses mycelium mushroom vegan leather. Recycled plastic has also been used for the non-structural parts of the cabin which does mean there is still plenty of plastic.
“The VISION EQXX is an advanced car in so many dimensions – and it even looks stunning and futuristic. With that, it underlines where our entire company is headed: We will build the world’s most desirable electric cars.” Ola Källenius
The Vision EQXX concept is built for range, not speed.
Mercedes-Benz’s Vision EQXX concept makes use of a single 150 kW motor that drives the rear wheels. This is then powered by a 900-volt battery pack. So you won’t be keeping up with the new electric BMWs, but you will be driving a lot further. The company gave an estimated range of 1000 km on a single charge.
How did they do this? Apart from the highly efficient design and not giving the concept car a power-hungry engine, Mercedes has cut the weight significantly. This goes all the way down to the battery which was developed with Mercedes-Benz’s F1 team to make it 50% smaller and 30% lighter. With everything else, this gets the car to weigh in at 1750 kg.
The most important question is when can we start seeing something like this in South Africa? Well, Mercedes-Benz South Africa will be introducing an array of EQ EVs this year 2022. While we may not have the infrastructure for most EVs, maybe more range focused cars like this concept will do the trick.
Source: Cars | CARmag | Mercedes-Benz