Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX concept revealed with 1000km electric range

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the Vision EQXX, a new electric concept car with aerodynamics and battery technology previewing the next generation of the company’s production cars.

Revealed online alongside the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the Vision EQXX is said to be the most efficient Mercedes-Benz ever built – thanks primarily to its ultra-aerodynamic four-door body, with a long rear overhang, sloping roofline, a rear track (the distance between the rear wheels) that’s 50mm narrower than the front, and a frontal area smaller than a Smart micro car.

It’s aided by aero-optimised 20-inch forged magnesium wheels (with covers), low rolling-resistance Bridgestone Turanza Eco tyres, ‘air curtains’ in the front bumper, a retractable rear diffuser, and dynamic cooling shutters that open or close to improve cooling or streamline aerodynamics.

The result is a drag coefficient of 0.173 – a figure that, if the Vision EQXX was a road-legal production car, would make it the most aerodynamically-efficient car ever built, surpassing the 0.19 of the equally aero-focused Volkswagen XL1, and the 0.20 of the Mercedes-Benz EQS, Tesla Model S and Lucid Air electric limousines.

Mercedes-Benz claims the Vision EQXX is capable of covering 1000km on a single charge – enough to travel from Sydney to Melbourne (or Sydney to Brisbane) without stopping, with up to 100km of range to spare.

However, it still trails the 1212km claimed combined driving range of Mercedes-Benz’s longest-range model on sale without hybrid or electric power – the diesel-fuelled GLE300d – but can drive further than the 883km of the brand’s petrol-powered S450 flagship sedan.

Contributing to the Vision EQXX’s four-digit driving range claim is its powertrain, led by an efficient electric “drive unit” on the rear axle developed by Mercedes-AMG’s Formula One engineers, with a 150kW electric motor and a claimed efficiency figure (the percentage of the battery’s energy that reaches the wheels) of 95 per cent – which compares to a petrol car’s 30 to 40 per cent.

Mounted low between the front and rear wheels is battery pack housing “just under” 100kWh – a similar capacity to Mercedes-Benz’s flagship EQS limousine, but in a pack that’s 30 per cent lighter and half the size, thanks to cells with an energy density of 400Wh/L (translating to a total of 250 litres).

The EQXX’s wheelbase is some 410mm shorter than the EQS, at 2800mm – equivalent to less than a C-Class mid-size sedan, or 65mm longer than a Honda Civic hatchback. The concept reportedly tips the scales in at 1750kg, on par with the C-Class.

Other highlights of the EQXX’s mechanicals include a 900-volt electrical architecture (delivering ultra-fast charging), a heat pump for minimising the range lost in cold conditions, and a solar roof that can add 25km of additional range per day.

Inside, there’s a curved, high-resolution screen stretching across the width of the dashboard – befitting of a modern electric concept car – joined by a range of sustainable materials used across the seats, door panels, headlining, floor mats and other surfaces.

While the new Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX concept isn’t slated to enter production in its current form, highlights of the show car – including its efficient 150kW drive unit and 900-volt charging system – are slated to preview future Mercedes-Benz models.