With around 140 km range left.
The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX which debuted earlier this year as the company’s most efficient vehicle ever, was put through a real-world test recently, in which the concept covered 1,008 km (626 mi) on a single charge, traveling from Sindelfingen (Germany) to Cassis (France). The charging port was sealed and the drive was accompanied by an independent expert from the certification body TÜV Süd.
The journey began in Sindelfingen on April 5th, 2022, at 7:00 AM. The first leg from Sindelfingen to the north-eastern border of Switzerland runs along Autobahn 81. At times, the Vision EQXX sliced through the wind at speeds of up to 140 km/h (87 mph). With its low cd value of 0.17, it gives the wind virtually nothing to grab hold of. Equally beneficial are the small frontal area of 2.12 m² and the reduced rear track. Because this is 50 mm narrower than the front, the rear wheels roll in the slipstream of the front wheels. And of course, the bespoke Bridgestone tyres with a rolling-resistance rating of 4.7 also contributed to the efficiency.
The route involved passing through Gotthard Tunnel heading towards Italy. On the section between Amsteg and Göschenen, there’s a 14 km (8.7 mi) uphill stretch with a gradient of up to 5%. It is here, where every gram of extra weight eats up energy, however, since the concept weighs (unladen) a reasonable 1,755 kg (3,869 lbs), it still scores sustainable points. After the Gotthard Tunnel, the road goes downhill for a very long way, where the EQXX makes the most of the situation by recuperation. And yes, the solar roof contributes about a 25 km (15.5 mi) range.
The journey was monitored in real-time at a high-tech, space centre-looking Electric Software Hub at the Mercedes Technology Center (MTC) in Sindelfingen.
But anyway, departing from the Sindelfingen R&D centre near Stuttgart in cold conditions, temperatures from start to finish ranged from 3 to 18 degrees Celsius. North of the Alps there was light rain and further south a gentle headwind blew in the sunshine. After 11 hours and 32 minutes of driving time, the Vision EQXX ended its 1,008 km road trip on the same day at 7:02 PM, with a remaining range of around 140 km (87 mi). While the top speed on the motorway was 140 km/h (87 mph), the average speed was 87.4 km/h (54.3 mph). Average consumption was 8.7 kWh per 100 km.
“With our successful road trip to the South of France, we’ve shown that efficiency is the new currency. And this success also clearly speaks for our new collaborative development process, incorporating many learnings from the Mercedes-AMG F1 team and its cutting-edge expertise in electric powertrains. The Vision EQXX is the result of a comprehensive program that provides a blueprint for the future of automotive engineering. Many of the innovative developments are already being integrated into production, some of them in the next generation of modular architecture for compact and midsize Mercedes‑Benz vehicles,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Purchasing.
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