Automotive

Vision EQXX squeezes a staggering 747 miles out of less than 100 kWh

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Autobahn closures near Stuttgart reduced the average speed for the trip, which was mainly on motorways
Mercedes-Benz
VISION EQXX breaks its own efficiency record on 1,202 km summer road trip from Stuttgart (Germany) to Silverstone (UK) on a single battery charge
Mercedes-Benz
Active aerodynamics play a key part in the EQXX's monster efficiency figures
Mercedes-Benz
At the end of the journey, there was still enough juice in the battery for a few top-speed laps around Silverstone
Mercedes-Benz
Lightweighting is a huge focus with the EQXX, which weighs less than half what a Tesla Model S does
Mercedes-Benz
The latest trip took the Vision EQXX from Stuttgart to Silverstone
Mercedes-Benz
1,202 km is an incredible effort on less than 100 kWh of energy
Mercedes-Benz
Autobahn closures near Stuttgart reduced the average speed for the trip, which was mainly on motorways
Mercedes-Benz
It seems the Vision EQXX is capable of going considerably further if the Mercedes-Benz team really wanted to hypermile this thing
Mercedes-Benz
At the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX
Mercedes-Benz
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The Vision EQXX left Stuttgart, Germany, and drove to Silverstone in the UK on a single charge of its sub-100 kWh battery, mainly at motorway speeds, then completed a few track laps before running out of juice at 1,202 km (747 miles). That's about twice what a Tesla Model S can do on the same amount of energy.

This is the second time this machine has beaten the 1,000 km (621 mile) mark; in April, the EQXX headed south through the Italian alps and finished up near Marseille in Southern France, 1,008 km (626 miles) later – with plenty of range left in the battery, according to the team.

Getting 747 miles out of less than 100 kWh is an extraordinary achievement. For reference, Our Next Energy made a similar 752-mile (1,210 km) highway trip in a Tesla Model S last year, using a modified battery pack holding 203.7 kWh. The average speed for that trip was 55 mph (88.5 km/h).

At the end of the journey, there was still enough juice in the battery for a few top-speed laps around Silverstone
Mercedes-Benz

The EQXX averaged a slightly lower 51.6 mph (83 km/h) – although there were Autobahn closures near the start of its journey, and the team left the air con running for about 8 of the journey's 14.5 hours. And once it hit Silverstone, Formula E racer Nyck de Vries took the wheel for 11 laps, taking it to its maximum governed 87 mph (140 km/h) limit and generally giving it the berries before rolling to a stop in pit lane. So it seems evident that under ideal conditions, the EQXX could indeed go a fair bit further.

How does this car perform so efficiently, delivering an outstanding energy consumption of 8.3 kWh per 100 km? Well, it's got some 117 solar panels on the roof, yes, but these aren't connected to the powertrain – instead, they top up an auxiliary LiFePO4 battery that runs the lights, infotainment system, A/C fans and other gadgets in the cabin. Mercedes-Benz estimates the solar assistance adds a maximum of about 25 km (15 miles) a day under ideal weather conditions.

So it ain't the solar, it's the rest of the car. And this research vehicle has been designed with an obsessive focus on efficiency. We broke down the technology behind the Vision EQXX in detail back in January, but here's the gist: it's a bit of everything.

Active aerodynamics play a key part in the EQXX's monster efficiency figures
Mercedes-Benz

The car weighs 1,750 kg (2,858 lb) – less than half of what a Tesla Model S weighs with a similar battery capacity – thanks to lightweighting efforts all over, from the silicon-rich battery anodes, to carbon-reinforced sugar cane composite materials and forged magnesium wheels with ultra-low rolling resistance Bridgestone tires.

Naturally, aerodynamics plays an important role, and the EQXX's drag coefficient of 0.17 handily beats the Model S's 0.208, incorporating plenty of active aeros such as its retractable high-speed diffuser. And Mercedes-Benz says the 180 kW electric drive unit itself is super-efficient as well, losing minimal energy in heat loss, which allows it to run a compact and lightweight cooling system.

It's not some stripped-out hypermiler, though – the cabin is plenty luxurious, featuring mood lighting and a colossal 47.5-inch, 8K-resolution infotainment display and a proper sound system including headrest speakers and seat-shaking bass exciters.

At the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX
Mercedes-Benz

“The journey continues – even further, even more efficient! Yet again, the VISION EQXX has proven that it can easily cover more than 1,000 km on a single battery charge, this time faced with a whole different set of real- world conditions. As Mercedes-Benz strives to go all-electric by 2030 wherever market conditions allow, it is important to show to the world what can be achieved in real terms through a combination of cutting-edge technology, teamwork and determination,” comments Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Procurement, in a press release.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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19 comments
martinwinlow
And... (compared to the Model S) it is utterly hideous to look at and... oh, yes... costs fully twice as much!
Chase
Lose the gaudy interior and stupid infotainment system (and the governor) and I'd consider buying it.
This place sucks ass
51 MPH wont even hit the minimum speed on most highways in the US. Might work fine for small local trips, but long distance it wouldnt be worth it. I wouldnt buy this.
White Rabbit
@martinwinlow Some say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", others that "there's no accounting for taste", so if someone prefers Musk's regurgitated non-design of a generic shape, so be it. However, after reading the complete article, the earlier one by Chris Weiss, and the lengthy Mercedes release, I could find NO REFERENCE to the price. The criticism that it costs "twice as much", then, is not only unfounded, it reveals an obvious bias.
Holger
@dan - the 51 mph was the *average* speed of the trip. The article puts the maximum governed speed at 87 mph.

1stClassOPP
I think the reference tomartinwinlow’s “twice as much, is a great understatement, because of the numerous exotic materials used. But, it is a great showcase in what is possible
ljaques
Hmm, what does this thing feel like when driving? At half the weight of the Tesla, might it feel like a cardboard car underneath you? How does it handle? Granted, nothing "needs" a Plaid-like acceleration, but how does this thing handle freeway onramps? Is it as comfy as the comparison car? I'm willing to bet that it is not. Headrest speakers? Yeahright.
It's not a pretty car. How many cycles can the battery live through? Is the cost 2x or 5x the S?
Color me overall unimpressed.
P51d007
51mph...PLEASE do not let us (USA) go back to the 55mph speed limit!
Plus, the solar panels? Shoot, in a lot of places, those would get vandalized over night!
EJ222
2,858 lb is amazing. A Model S hauls around 4500lb +, and that drags down acceleration, braking, and handling in addition to efficiency.
Aross
The mileage is certainly interesting. Doing a lot of long drives on highways with speeds of 65 to 75 MPH I would be interested in the mileage at those speeds. How much distance would be added if they lose all the fancy lights and ridiculous and distracting infotainment systems. Also I did not see any mention of the time required to fully recharge the batteries.