Mercedes Vision EQXX is the EV future concept. The electric age will be defined by range and efficiency. With such a long-range, electric vehicles will be suited for any travel and adoption will be accelerated. A perfect loop of battery size and weight reduction will result from exceptional efficiency, enabling people to travel farther with less consumption.
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Efficiency as a medium to achieve environmental neutrality
Mercedes-Benz is adamant about setting the standard. With the EQS with 245 kW, the German brand is already leading the range rankings in normal driving conditions, as demonstrated by a recent Edmunds test in which an EQS 450+ traveled 422 miles on a single charge, 77 miles further than any other vehicle tested until then.
Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, is not taking it easy. They motivated the engineers to go above and above in search of achieving zero influence on the environment and utilizing green energy responsibly.
The Mercedes VISION EQXX is the outcome of a quest to break through technical limits and raise energy efficiency to new heights across the board. It highlights the benefits that may be realized by starting from the bottom up and reworking the foundations.
This includes advancements in all aspects of the vehicle’s cutting-edge electric powertrain, as well as the utilization of lightweight engineering and environmentally friendly materials. VISION EQXX enables Mercedes to explore new boundaries of EV efficiency with creative and clever efficiency solutions, including smart software.
“The Mercedes-Benz VISION EQXX is how we imagine the future of electric cars. Just one-and-a-half years ago, we started this project leading to the most efficient Mercedes-Benz ever built – with an outstanding energy consumption of less than 10 kWh per 100 kilometres. It has a range of more than 1,000 kilometres on a single charge using a battery that would fit even into a compact vehicle. The VISION EQXX is an advanced car in so many dimensions – and it even looks stunning and futuristic. With that, it underlines where our entire company is headed: We will build the world’s most desirable electric cars.” said Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG.
The Mercedes Vision EQXX is a blueprint for future EV’s
The VISION EQXX is a vision for electric vehicle technology that is both innovative and inspiring while being entirely feasible. It provides significant solutions to critical concerns in addition to its ground-breaking energy efficiency. For example, using sustainable materials reduces the carbon impact significantly.
Its UI/UX includes a revolutionary new one-piece display that covers the whole width of the vehicle and comes to life with responsive real-time visuals. Other aspects of the UI/UX assist the automobile and driver in collaborating as one and even utilize technology that replicates the human brain’s functions.
And the software-led development method that brought it to market is changing the way electric vehicles are built.
This automobile is the result of a long-term project that is laying the groundwork for the future of automotive engineering. Many of its features and advancements, such as the next version of the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) for small and medium-sized automobiles, are currently in production.
Efficiency does not mean exclusively less consumption
The most common measure of car efficiency is fuel consumption, sometimes known as fuel economy. Depending on where we are in the world, this is expressed in a variety of ways (e.g. liters per 100 kilometers, miles per gallon, or kilometers per liter). They all connect units of fuel, or energy, to units of distance, regardless of convention. In this regard, electric transportation is no different.
The efficiency engineering in every aspect adds up to the exceptional energy consumption and real-world range of this Mercedes concept, from its unique powertrain to its lightweight construction, and from its intelligent thermal management to its serenely slipstreaming appearance.
With a power output of roughly 150 kW, the Mercedes VISION EQXX’s super-efficient electric powertrain (which includes everything from the battery to the electric motor unit to the wheels) underpins this excellent long-distance runner. It’s more than just a collection of pieces; it’s a work of engineering art in and of itself.
The team set out to design an electric powertrain with a world-beating mix of efficiency, energy density, and lightweight engineering after being given a very clear and explicit set of goals. Let’s toss in a number here: 95 percent efficiency. That implies that up to 95% of the battery’s energy ends up in the wheels — plain and simple.
When compared to even the most efficient ICE drivetrains, or roughly 50% from an average long-distance runner, this is a huge difference.
The VISION EQXX’s electric drive unit is a separate unit that includes the electric motor, transmission, and power electronics, all of which use a new generation of silicon carbides. The power electronics unit is similar to the one found in Mercedes-AMG‘s future Project ONE hypercar.
“One of the best ways to improve efficiency is to reduce losses,” explains Eva Greiner, chief engineer of the electric drive system at Mercedes-Benz. “We worked on every part of the system to reduce energy consumption and losses through system design, material selection, lubrication and heat management. And our fantastic simulation tools helped us find out quickly what works and what doesn’t.”
Battery evolution based on density
Rather than just increasing the battery capacity, Mercedes-Benz and the HPP team created an entirely new battery pack for the VISION EQXX, with a phenomenal energy density of about 400 Wh/l. This number is what allowed the VISION EQXX to accommodate a battery pack with just under 100 kWh of useful energy into its tiny proportions.
The huge improvement in energy density is due in part to major advancements in anode chemistry. Because of their increased silicon concentration and sophisticated composition, they can store much more energy than conventional anodes.
The high degree of integration in the battery pack is another characteristic that contributed to the excellent energy density. This chassis, developed in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz R&D and HPP, provided greater space for cells while also reducing total weight.
The OneBox, a distinct container for electrical and electronic (EE) components, provided greater capacity for cells while also improving installation and removal. The OneBox also includes unique safety devices with energy-efficient operations that use substantially less energy than a comparable component in a production electric vehicle.
The battery research team, tasked with pushing the boundaries of technological feasibility on all levels, opted to experiment with an exceptionally high voltage. Increasing the voltage to over 900 volts proved to be a very beneficial research tool for power electronics development.
The team was able to collect a significant amount of useful information, and they are now evaluating the possible advantages and consequences for future series development.
117 solar cells on the roof provide extra energy to the electric system that powers several of the ancillaries in the Mercedes VISION EQXX. It was created in partnership with Europe’s leading solar energy research organization, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE.
The improvement in the range comes as a consequence of lowering the energy drain on the high-voltage system. This may add up to 25 kilometers of range to long-distance excursions in a single day and under perfect circumstances.
Aerodynamics put to work for more range
The effect of aerodynamic drag on the range may be significant. A conventional electric car devotes almost two-thirds of its battery capacity to cutting through the air ahead of it on a long-distance trip, which is why the VISON EQXX has an ultra-sleek and fluid drag coefficient of 0.17.
“It usually takes around a year to finalise the form,” said Teddy Woll, Head of Aerodynamics at Mercedes-Benz. “We had less than half of that for the VISION EQXX. Lean, agile processes and mature digital tools make collaborative work far easier, with faster decision-making and more nimble compromises. We also needed fewer models and less time in the wind tunnel.”
Despite the practical obstacles and the short timeframe, the collaboration’s success is visible in the outside design’s refinement and grace. The Mercedes VISION EQXX’s surfaces flow effortlessly from the front to the back, forming muscular but seductive shoulders over the rear wheel arches.
This smooth flow is accented by the rear light clusters and ends with a neatly defined, aerodynamically efficient tear-off edge highlighted by a gloss-black finish trim.
The retractable rear diffuser is an excellent example of design, aerodynamics, and engineering working together — it only deploys at greater speeds when the air becomes a much more formidable opponent. When retracted, it blends into the bodywork, keeping the rear end’s balance, proportions, and lightweight look.
