At the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas recently I was also able to experience a test drive in the Vision EQXX ultra EV. Engineered in just 18 months and representing the most efficient Mercedes-Benz ever built, this experimental unit acts as a barometer for production EQ models, which may eventually inherit deviations from its technology, energy storage capabilities, and driving range. The development intention of the vehicle was to produce a battery with 100 kW capacity, lightweight construction, increased aero, and extreme efficiency. The result is an EV that achieves an extensive range of more than 745 miles on a single charge.
To evaluate the EQXX’s limits, M-B engineers averaged an impressive energy consumption of 7.5 miles per kilowatt hour on a drive from Stuttgart, Germany to Silverstone, U.K. The RWD EQXX features carbon fiber components, fully covered magnesium rims, a solar-paneled fix roof for regeneration, a 47.5″ 8K MBUX display screen, and an all-planted-based interior utilizing bamboo, cactus, and mushroom-derived materials. Although it’s optimized for highway driving, the EV moves emphatically with its low center of gravity. Comparatively speaking, the EQXX battery is half the volume of the EQS battery and a third less in weight, yet has almost the same amount of energy as the EQS.
“The VISION EQXX was a true pleasure to drive. I know what this team is capable of, and it was a real honor to drive such an amazing car on such a historic track,” says Nyck de Vries, Mercedes-EQ Formula E racing driver. “And I can tell you that the interior is definitely a lot more luxurious than the cockpit of a Formula E car.”
The future of mobility was presented succinctly to showgoers looking for the most visceral human experience possible from the collision of virtual reality and analog worlds. Mercedes-Benz gave audiences the latest innovations, cutting-edge technology, and future cars at the 2023 Consumer Electronics. So are you ready for the next transitioning stage of mobility?
