Imagine an all-electric sedan driving from Los Angeles to San Francisco—and back—on a single charge,in the case of the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX concept, a record 7 miles from the automaker’s base in Stuttgart, Germany to the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team headquarters in Silverstone, England.
Mercedes-Benz’s serpentine test track in the southern German countryside of Immendingen.
Rather than chasing distance records, the goal was simply to appreciate this technical tour de force that represents the automaker’s vision of all road vehicles of the future.
The EQXX has a compact, energy-dense 100kWh battery that is 50% smaller and 30% lighter than the comparably powerful pack that powers the brand’s current flagship EV, the EQS.
This powertrain configuration and the engineering team’s focus on radical streamlining allowed the car’s drag coefficient to be reduced to just 0.17, the lowest of any current production vehicle.
This high level of slipperiness can create a scary feeling like stepping on the gas on a flat road without any noticeable effect on the speed of the vehicle.
The VISION EQXX is also a masterclass in a radically new software-based approach to UI/UX. The game engine takes user interface graphics to a whole new level of digital luxury.
The user interface shows how real-time graphics open up completely new digital possibilities, immediately responding to the driver’s needs and bringing the real world into the vehicle.
This human-machine integration creates a true partnership between the car and the driver.
This increasingly seamless connection is further facilitated by intuitive communication thanks to a highly efficient yet visually striking one-piece display.
At the same time, with the help of machine learning, the more distinctive, more emotional voice of “Hey Mercedes” takes the conversation between the driver and the car to a completely new and more natural level.
Weighing just 3,896 pounds, the EQXX pales in comparison to the 5,888-pound weight of the EQS 580.
Weight means less force to move the vehicle; a modest 21-bhp electric motor delivers a zero to 60mph time of 7 seconds from a standstill, a far cry from the record-breaking acceleration of many new EV prototypes, but in keeping with the car’s aim of prioritizing distance over straight-line speed. Plus, with an eco-friendly Jetson-Esque interior made from cactus fibers, bamboo, mushroom roots, and vegan silk, the EQXX looks showroom-ready. It’s an inviting enclave for long hauls, which is exactly what you want with this range.
