Mercedes has revealed a show car which is said to be capable of travelling more than 620 miles on a charge, and says it points the way to its next electric models.
The VISION EQXX includes a new, super-efficient electric drivetrain as well as the use of lightweight engineering and sustainable materials. These combined mean it has a claimed consumption of around six miles per kWh of electricity – better than an electric city car today.
The battery in the VISION EQXX holds just under 100 kWh of energy, but is 50% smaller and 30% lighter than the similar capacity pack in the EQS.
The rear of the EQXX is narrower than the front to improve aerodynamics The concept also features ultra-thin solar roof panels which feed the battery system for up to 15 miles of extra range. It also has a very slippery shape which reduces wind resistance.
A 900v operating system means charging should be super-rapid too, beating the 800v used in rivals such as the Kia EV6 and Audi e-tron GT.
Inside, the car has a screen which stretches across the entire width of the dashboard and it uses recycled and sustainable materials.
The concept car is said to be a fully driving prototype with technology which is expected to be production-ready in two years. The size of the car and timing would fit in with an expected electric C-Class to rival the BMW i4 and Tesla Model 3.
The touchscreen stretches across the entire width of the car