Mercedes VISION EQXX Pushes EV Potential in Real-World Test
The VISION EQXX is a proper look into Mercedes’ electric vehicle potential (and the possible trajectory of EVs as a whole), having completed a 1,202 kilometer (747 mile) run from Stuttgart, Germany, to Silverstone Circuit in the UK on a single charge in June. This event breaks the EQXX’s previous range record set back in April, where it completed an over-1,000 kilometer (621 mile) trip from Stuttgart, Germany, to Cassis, France, on a single charge. These tests will provide Mercedes engineers with important data for future EV ventures, including further development on the EQXX.
The trip took roughly 14 hours and 30 minutes to complete at an average speed of 52 mph. Energy was pulled from the EQXX’s 100 kWh battery. That’s a relatively large battery and the main reason why the vehicle was capable of such a trek, but there is a bit more to it. The VISION EQXX is equipped with a new thermal management system which, during this trip, allowed for an average energy consumption of 8.3 kWh per 62 miles. Of course, the aerodynamic shape and unladen vehicle weight of 3,896 pounds doesn’t hurt either. Unlike the previous trip between Stuttgart and Cassis, which presented cooler weather and more extreme battery usage and recuperation scenarios in the Alps, this most recent journey took them through summer temperatures and heavy traffic. Sitting idle in high temperatures gave that innovative cooling tech a place to shine. According to Mercedes, the vehicle’s electric drive unit creates minimal waste heat, allowing the thermal management system to be small and lightweight. Aero-shutters, coolant valves and pumps all work in tandem to keep everything running at an optimal temperature.
Traveling at highway speeds, the EQXX departed Stuttgart and crossed the French border and continued through to Calais, then boarding the Eurotunnel and traversing the M25 around London, stopping at the Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix in Brackley. After a short stop (no charging), the VISION EQXX continued to Silverstone. Upon arrival, guest driver Nyck de Vries, a Dutch driver for the Mercedes-EQ Formula E team, took it out onto the Silverstone circuit for 11 laps, using the final bit of charge in the pit lane. All this has solidified the VISION EQXX as the automaker’s self-proclaimed “most efficient Mercedes ever built.” While we don’t expect to see this technology embed itself in every EV immediately, it’s exciting to see what kind of progress is being made behind the scenes.