Following its unveiling at CES2022 in January this year, Mercedes’ Vision EQXX concept car completed a 1,008km (626 mile) journey on a single charge, delivering on the brand’s claims to deliver more than 1,000km from a full battery.
The prototype travelled from Sindelfingen, Germany, through the Swiss Alps and Northern Italy to the Mediterranean town of Cassis on the Côte d'Azur.
The journey started in cold and rainy conditions, and was undertaken at regular road speeds, including prolonged fast-lane cruising at up to 140km/h 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 140km, and the average consumption was a record-breaking low of 8.7 kWh per 100km.
The drive was completed with the charging socket sealed and accompanied by an independent expert from certification body TÜV Süd.
Following the success of the trial, the technology in the VISION EQXX will be deployed in upcoming series-production Mercedes vehicles.
Upon completing the journey, Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, said: “We did it! The VISION EQXX is the most efficient Mercedes ever built. The technology programme behind it marks a milestone in the development of electric vehicles. It underpins our strategic aim to ‘Lead in Electric’."
Mercedes previously announced that it plans to spend more than €65 billion in the lead up to 2026 to maximise its success in surpassing its main competitor in the EV market – Tesla.
The German luxury car manufacturer also plans to sell only EVs by 2030 – and has recently brought to market a wide range of electric cars.
Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Purchasing, commented: “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 programme that provides a blueprint for the future of automotive engineering.”
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