Stuttgart/Cassis – The VISION EQXX from Mercedes-Benz has now taken on the roads of Europe and has demonstrated its outstanding range and efficiency. Traveling from Sindelfingen across the Swiss Alps and Northern Italy, to its destination of Cassis on the Côte d’Azur, it effortlessly covered more than 1,000 km (621 miles) in everyday traffic, on a single battery charge. The journey started in cold and rainy conditions, and was undertaken at regular road speeds, including prolonged fast-lane cruising at up to 87 mph on the German autobahn and near the speed limit elsewhere. The battery’s state of charge on arrival was around 15 percent, amounting to a remaining range of around 140 kilometers (87 miles), and the average consumption was a record-breaking low of 8.7 kWh per 100 kilometers (7.1 kWh per 62 miles).
The VISION EQXX has thus taken electric vehicle efficiency to a whole new level – in real-life conditions and with independent proof. The long-distance drive was completed with the charging socket sealed and accompanied by an independent expert from certification body TÜV Süd. This officially confirms the effectiveness of the new Mercedes-Benz development approach – thinking holistically about efficiency from the drivetrain to aerodynamics and beyond, down to the smallest detail, as well as working with even greater interfunctional collaboration and with external partners. This new blueprint for automotive engineering has delivered a new benchmark for electric vehicle efficiency and range, and the technology in the VISION EQXX will be deployed in upcoming series-production Mercedes vehicles.
“We did it! Powering through more than 1,000 kilometers with ease on a single battery charge and a consumption of only 8.7 kWh/100 km (7.1 kWh per 62 miles) in real-world traffic conditions. The VISION EQXX is the most efficient Mercedes ever built. The technology program behind it marks a milestone in the development of electric vehicles. It underpins our strategic aim to ‘Lead in Electric’,” says Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.
Ready for the longest road trip since the invention of electric mobility
There’s a reason why road trips have been a cultural touchstone for decades, telling stories from the highway in books, movies and music. The road trip defines freedom, individuality, the very spirit of the automobile and the passing world. Stick a pin in the map – and drive.
The journey to electric mobility is also a road trip; as exhilarating as it is challenging, and as unknown as it is certain. For Mercedes-Benz, it is a journey with a clear goal – maximum efficiency through innovation. The VISION EQXX is the product of a holistic approach with innovations in all technical areas that have an impact on energy consumption. “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. And the journey continues. With the VISION EQXX, we will keep testing the limits of what’s possible,” says Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Purchasing.
Challenging route profile and varying weather conditions
The VISION EQXX is packed with innovations. This software-defined research prototype is part of a far- reaching technology program that combines the latest digital technology with Mercedes’ pioneering spirit, the agility of a start-up and the speed of Formula 1. The mission in developing the VISION EQXX was to break through technological barriers across the board. To show what is electrically “feasible”, the research vehicle completed a one-day road trip across several European borders: from Germany to Switzerland, on to Italy, past Milan and finally to its destination, the port town of Cassis near Marseille in the South of France.
The route profile – from motorway to mountain passes, including roadworks – and the weather conditions presented the VISION EQXX with a wide variety of challenges. Departing from the Sindelfingen R&D center 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. The various sections of the route helped document the effect of the many efficiency measures.
