Mercedes-Benz debuted its Vision EQXX concept at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, fresh off a European road trip where it drove 621 miles on a completely charged battery. The long-range demonstration is the latest snub to Tesla’s worldwide expansion. Though the Vision EQXX is still a concept, it sets the standard for what an electric vehicle can achieve by emphasizing battery economy, lightweight materials like aluminum brake discs, and a 900-volt electric architecture. Of course, demonstrating what is feasible is only the first step on the long path to getting technology from development to commercialization.
The Vision EQXX, with its elegant shape and excellent engineering, might pave the way for a Mercedes production car to take against battery-electric luxury sedan mainstays like the Porsche Taycan, Audi E-tron GT, and the Tesla Roadster’s anticipated rebirth. The carmaker also stated on Monday that it intends to go totally electric by 2030, with a goal of having half of its global sales be plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles by 2025. The measure will reduce the company’s carbon impact by half when compared to 2020 levels.
According to Mercedes, the concept car drove 621 miles without needing to charge its battery during a European road trip from Germany to the coastal town of Cassis in the south of France. On a single charge, that’s one of the farthest distances ever reached by an electric vehicle. According to the carmaker, it landed at Cassis with roughly 87 miles of range remaining.
“The route profile — from highway to mountain passes, including roadworks — and the weather conditions confronted the Vision EQXX with a broad array of obstacles,” the firm stated in a statement. Temperatures varied from 37 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit. By the end of the year, Mercedes will have nine models on the market, including electrified versions of its E-Class and B-Class sedans. The EQS sedan is the company’s flagship product, an electric version of the S-Class executive sedan with a range of 350 miles according to the EPA. For the 2023 model year, the EQS will be offered as an SUV.
