Mercedes-Benz disclosed its most efficient vehicle ever, the VISION EQXX. With a drag coefficient of only 0.17 and license plates, it seemed like a road-legal car able to reach 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of range with a 100 kWh battery pack. Although the video presentation gave us just a glimpse of what this car may be if it reaches production lines, Mercedes-Benz told us almost everything we wanted to know.
The VISION EQXX is efficient not only because of its incredible drag coefficient but also because it tackled the most important aspects of spending the least possible amount of energy while moving. Its electric motor has an efficiency of 95%, and it is a lightweight machine compared to other EVs: the German carmakers said it weighs only around 1,750 kilograms (3,858 pounds). Although that is a lot if you compare it to combustion-engined vehicles, most competitors tip the scale at more than two tons.
Mercedes-Benz did not reveal all dimensions of the VISION EQXX, but it said it is a compact car. The only disclosed measure was the wheelbase: 2.80 meters (110.2 inches). A while ago, that would place it as a D-segment vehicle, but cars are growing, and compact is not what it used to be anymore.
The battery pack is also as small as Mercedes-Benz suggested. Cars with 100 kWh are among those with the most capacity in the market nowadays. What makes the VISION EQXX extraordinary is how far it can travel with that much energy. The best distance EVs with 100 kWh can travel nowadays do not exceed 400 miles. In other words, a production version of the concept car would be more than 50% more efficient. Like the Lucid Air, it works at more than 900V, which may be one of the explanations for that.
Mercedes-Benz gave other websites all the information about the VISION EQXX in advance, thanks to an embargo that seems to have been strictly respected. Thanks to that, they had a lot more time to dissect the car than we did, but we will get back to all the technical innovations that this car offers, such as how it managed to save weight and be more efficient than most other EVs.
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