Mercedes kicked off the new year on Monday with the Vision EQXX concept, the German brand’s long-range electric halo car.
The aerodynamic EQXX packs a battery the same size as Mercedes’ current full-size EQS sedan in a compact body that’s roughly the size of a Mercedes CLA-Class entry-level gas-powered car. Presented before this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the EQXX is also stuffed with a full infotainment screen and virtuous, sustainable materials that are popular with green customers.
Mercedes has announced that when the test car hits the road this spring, it will be able to reach a range of 620 miles — a trip from Detroit to New York City. That number rivals gas-electric hybrids like the 633-mile Toyota Prius, although it lacks diesel marathons like the 1,000-mile Ram 1500.
The Merc is following in the footsteps of other European moonshots like the 2002 Volkswagen 1-liter, a stylish cigar-shaped diesel car that met the European standard of using just one liter of gasoline to travel 100 kilometers – the equivalent of 237 mpg.
For the age of electric vehicles, Mercedes says its concept will achieve a new efficiency target of less than 10 kWh consumed per 100 kilometers traveled (6 miles per kWh).
The Volkswagen diesel engine emerged at a time when conflict in the Middle East was dominating the headlines, and Europe was determined to free itself from Middle Eastern oil by encouraging the adoption of efficient diesel cars. Since then, diesel engines have lost favor with governments. Electric cars are the new political fad and EQXX claims the moral high ground as governments force non-fossil-fueled vehicles.
“The Mercedes-Benz EQXX is how we imagine the future of electric cars,” said Mercedes Chairman Ola Kallenius. “The EQXX is a vehicle that is advanced in many dimensions – it even looks amazing and futuristic. In doing so, it underscores where our entire company is headed: We will build the world’s most desirable electric vehicle.”
The EQXX achieves its efficiency goals with a low frontal area and a long, racing-style tail. The Merc has a combined towing efficiency of just 0.17 — lower than modern production vehicles like the Lucid Air’s 0.20 and Tesla Model S Plaid’s 0.208. Low traction efficiency is achieved with a smaller-than-entry-level front headroom, Mercedes CLA, and rear track width 2 inches less than the front.
The concept’s range numbers are better than the brand’s current $103,360 EQS production EV Halo, which gets 350 miles of range. When packing a similar 100 kWh battery into a compact-class chassis, the EQXX claims 95% driveline efficiency compared to 75% for the EQS system. Drawing on its experience in Formula One and Formula E racing – both of which use battery technology – the Vision Concept claims it’s 50% smaller in size and 30% less weight than an EQS battery.
The lightweight battery means that Mercedes tips the scale at 3,858 pounds — or roughly the same size as a Tesla Model 3 that has roughly half the range. The EQXX’s solar roof provides another 16 miles of potential.
“Based on the idea of zero impact on our planet and a very responsible use of green energy, we encouraged our engineers to go even further,” said the EQXX news release. “The VISION EQXX is an important outcome we set out to break through technological barriers and take energy efficiency to new heights. It meets the progressive demands of the modern generation of customers.”
But Mercedes’ push toward electrification is motivated by more than just a reference to political virtue. The German model has long dominated the US market, with the German trio of Mercedes, BMW and Audi overtaken by the Model 3, which posted more than 200,000 sales in 2020, compared to just 52,000 for the best-selling Mercedes-Benz GLC sports class. . As mandates for electric vehicles accelerate in the next few years, Tesla is in the jumper’s seat, accounting for about 80% of electric vehicle sales in the United States.
Tesla has also redefined car interiors with its simple, large-screen tablet technology. The EQXX takes this to another level with a 47.5-inch screen that stretches from A-pillar to A-pillar. It includes 3D navigation.
“To mark the launch of a new ultra-pure design style, the EQXX represents a new expression of efficiency in interior design,” said a Mercedes press release, echoing Tesla. “In a departure from the traditional design approach, the interior design focuses on a few units and the beautiful simplicity of lightweight design.”
The design includes vegan leather seats made of mycelium, borrowed from a structure resembling mushroom roots. The carpet is made of bamboo fibres, and the back floor is of landfill materials such as mixed plastic, cardboard and even baby diapers.
The chassis is based on a 900V architecture for faster charging and a built-in heat pump to keep battery loss in cold weather to a minimum, for example, a very cold Michigan winter.
“By making efficiency the new currency, Mercedes-Benz has created … luxury and comfort with less impact on nature, and more electric mobility with less waste,” says a Mercedes press release.
Henry Payne is an auto critic for the Detroit News. You can find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
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