Who slips through the wind

Mercedes is exhausting the topic of electrical efficiency: The Mercedes Vision EQXX aims to break record-breaking ranges with its streamlined design.

With the Research vehicle Vision EQXX gives Mercedes an outlook on his next generation of electric cars. The extremely streamlined sedan is said to be the most efficient car the brand has ever built and to offer a record-breaking range of 1.000 kilometers. There are also further innovations in the battery system and operation.

The most striking visual feature of the four-door model is the abruptly sloping rear. The steep trailing edge, which is known from early combustion engine racing cars, among other things, is intended to minimize wind resistance. The same task is performed by the flat front, the flowing roof line and the smooth side walls. The drag coefficient (cW) is only 0,17, which is another significant improvement over the current record holder for production cars, the Mercedes EQS (0,20).

In addition to the optimized aerodynamics, a new type of battery contributes to the four-digit range of the EQXX. With a capacity of almost 100 kWh, it is no larger than that of the EQS and the non-brand competition, but it should be particularly light and space-saving. A solar roof provides additional power supply, which enables an extra range of up to 25 kilometers on long journeys. Mercedes specifies the voltage of the battery system at over 900 volts, which means that the Swabians not only top the 400 volts of the EQS, but also the 800 volts of Porsche Taycan and Co. The high value promises very short loading times, but there are no precise details. On the other hand, the drive, which is also not specified in more detail, is comparatively modest; the sedan is content with 150 kW / 204 PS.

Mercedes Vision EQXX will run seamlessly

Mercedes gives more information about the interior. It is designed in a strikingly puristic and airy light, with a screen over the entire width of the cockpit as an eye-catcher. Similar is and has been with other manufacturers, but the Stuttgart-based company promises a completely seamless copy for the first time. The display should adapt spontaneously to the needs of the occupants and, among other things, offer a virtual avatar that serves as a mediator between man and machine. When choosing the interior materials, great importance was attached to sustainability, including a leather alternative made from mushrooms and carpets made from bamboo fiber.

A specific production car will probably not emerge from the Vision EQXX. Experience in modeling the body, the development of the energy-dense battery and the 900-volt system should, however, flow into future models. The brand's next Stromer, the crossover EQS SUV and EQE SUV expected for 2022, will probably come too early for that.