Mercedes-Benz EQXX to have 1200km range
Sleek EV coupe concept a ‘serious project’ that demonstrates next-generation technologiesMercedes-Benz is clearly determined to wrest the electrified technology high ground from upstarts such as Tesla, revealing it intends to build a concept EV with a 1200km range between battery recharges.
Little detail has so far been released about the Vision EQXX, which was teased at Benz’s investor conference this week where an expansion of the German luxury brand’s electrified EQ family was announced and wholesale reduction of its combustion engine line-up confirmed.
These include the new Mercedes-Benz EQS luxury sedan due next year and, in 2021, a smaller Mercedes-Benz EQE executive sedan and a flagship SUV based on the EQS.
Mercedes showed a stylised silhouette of the EQXX’s exterior which suggests it’s an aerodynamically-driven coupe.
The car-maker confirmed it is drawing on its UK-based Formula 1 powertrain group for the project, which is providing both e-motor knowledge and “motorsport-development speed”.
The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX may also feature solid state batteries, given the company has just rolled out its first production vehicle – a bus – powered by the technology.
The range capability was hinted at by a presentation slide that posed the question: “Beijing to Shanghai on one charge?” On Google Maps that comes up at 1214km.
In Australian terms, that sort of range would get you from Sydney to Broken Hill without recharging, or Melbourne to Taree. Plenty of ICE vehicles can’t do that.
EV start-up Lucid Motors claims its new Air sedan has the best range of any production EV in the world at 832km.
Tesla says its Model S Plaid coming in late 2021 will pip it.
Clearly, the EQXX is in a whole different league. How translatable the concept’s capabilities are to a production car we don’t yet know.
But Mercedes-Benz R&D boss Markus Schafer said the company intended to find out.
“We have set up a group of our engineers to take on an extraordinary task, to build the longest- and highest-efficiency electric car the world has ever seen,” he said.
“This is a serious project, chasing next-generation technologies. We intend to incorporate the learning into the next generation of series production cars.”
No timing has been announced about when we will see EQXX, but expect more teasers over coming months.
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