The EQS electric limousine and its nearly 770 km of range is just an appetizer.
Mercedes is stepping up a gear with the promise of being able to accomplish more than 1,000 km - a new record - on a single charge, said Markus Schaefer, director of research and development for the German group.
"It is not an approved autonomy but what motorists will be able to observe in real life"
, insisted the German engineer.
According to him, in 2025, connecting Paris to Berlin without having to stop to recharge the battery will be quite possible.
This is a way of getting around the issue of charging infrastructure that is still largely deficient in Europe.
By 2030, Mercedes believes that recharging its electric vehicle will not be a formality both from the point of view of the network and the electrical power of the stations.
Being able to travel 1,000 km in one go takes the problem of recharging into the background.
To discover
Audi RS3, a sedan like no other
Our list of the best electric cars under 40,000 euros
What responsibility at the wheel of an “autonomous car”?
18 months of development only
By adopting a disruptive approach, the star firm integrates the issue of battery size into a global ecosystem. Admittedly, it is always important but not essential if one approaches the subject from another angle. The efficiency of the system as a whole is central. The Vision EQXX concept is Mercedes' first vehicle to explore new avenues of research. It prefigures a new generation of compact electric cars (around a wheelbase of 2.80 m) marketed in 2025. This prototype is revolutionary in more than one way. It is the result of a joint development between the Mercedes teams and the engineers of Formula 1 and Formula E. This multidisciplinary approach has enabled this concept to see the light of day in just 18 months. Unheard of in the automotive industry!
Mercedes-Benz AG - Communications & Marketing / http: //media.daimler.com
Lightness and aerodynamic finesse
According to Mercedes, weight and aerodynamics, as well as heat flow management and the efficiency of all components, play a key role in fuel consumption.
From 120 km / h, air resistance is such that a particularly streamlined silhouette is needed to prevent fuel consumption from soaring.
This is how the manufacturer went even further than with the EQS which posted a
record aerodynamic
Cx
of 0.20.
With the Vision EQXX, the work of designers and aerodynamicists regains all its nobility.
Together they succeeded in lowering the drag coefficient (
Cx
) to 0.17.
Its sleek sedan lines evoke the IAA concept presented at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. While the front part marked by a very plunging hood reducing the frontal area refers to the Porsche Taycan, the rear part is very elongated.
Mercedes-Benz AG - Communications & Marketing / http: //media.daimler.com
According to the principles of active aerodynamics, the rear diffuser is retractable.
In "aero" mode, essentially at high speeds on the freeway when air resistance really becomes an obstacle, the rear gets longer.
Thus, by also using low rolling resistance “Turanza Eco” tires specially developed by Bridgestone and fitted to solid magnesium rims, consumption would be a little less than 10 kWh / 100 km.
Mercedes estimates that this sobriety is equivalent to a thermal car that would consume barely 1 liter per 100 km.
Mercedes-Benz AG - Communications & Marketing / http: //media.daimler.com
This performance would not have been possible without the integration of a number of innovations. The Vision EQXX is thus based on a new modular platform MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture) reserved for the next generation of compact and medium-sized electric vehicles. The bodywork marks the first application of MS1500 lightweight steel. The doors are a mixture of plastic reinforced with carbon fibers and aluminum. The brake discs are also made of aluminum. In the end, Mercedes announces a weight of less than 1750 kg for this sedan which is distinguished by rear tracks reduced by 50 mm compared to the front.
Based on the 'more is less' principle, the Vision EQXX does not summon an army of kilowatts.
Its power does not exceed 150 kW (204 hp).
But Mercedes does not rule out offering more powerful versions.
The electrical machine, like the elements of transmission and power electronics, will be based on silicon carbides.
It will be powered by a battery of the order of 100 kWh.
If its capacity is close to that of the EQS, it will occupy 50% less volume and be 30% lighter than current generations.
By embedding a 900 volt system, the battery will be able to recover 300 km of range in 15 minutes on a fast terminal.
The roof fitted with photovoltaic cells will also allow the recovery of 25 km of autonomy.
Mercedes-Benz AG - Communications & Marketing / http: //media.daimler.com
The reduction of the carbon footprint is also based on the use of recycled materials for the manufacture of interior linings and 3D printing.
The human-machine interface is still evolving compared to the EQS, making extensive use of artificial intelligence.
If the tablet covers the entire width of the board, in the EQXX, it is thinner and incorporates the latest innovations in 3D augmented reality navigation.
Mercedes-Benz AG - Communications & Marketing / http: //media.daimler.com
The batteries for the production models will be produced by Automotive Cells, the company created by Stellantis and TotalEnergies and its subsidiary Saft and which Mercedes has just joined, for a third of the capital.
This consortium plans to accelerate the development of ACC, with the objective of a minimum capacity of 120 GWh of cell production by 2030.
