Mercedes wants to change the EV game with a new type of solar-powered electric vehicle that can travel a record distance on a charge.
The new car will be based on the Vision EQXX, a concept car unveiled last year, and it’ll be a so-called SEV, Solar-Electric Vehicle.
Mercedes went to great lengths to maximize the car’s range.
For starters, the EQXX has a drag coefficient of just 0.17.
In plain English, it means it is more aerodynamically efficient than nearly any other car on the road today.
In addition to the enhanced aerodynamics, Mercedes fitted the EQXX with a high-performance 100-kWh battery pack.
The automaker claims the new Mercedes EV will be able to travel 620+ miles (1,000 km) on a charge.
This trumps anything else on the market, including the Lucid Air, which currently holds the longest range of any EV on the market (517 miles).
Now, 620 miles is what you can get driving like a normal person.
Alternatively, you can drive like a scientist, pay extreme attention to every single detail of the journey and achieve 1,202 km (746 miles).
That’s exactly what Mercedes did last year.
In June 2022, Mercedes test drivers traveled from Stuttgart, Germany to Silverstone in the UK on a single battery charge.
In addition to the ultra-efficient battery pack, the EQXX is also equipped with solar panels on the roof and back window.
These panels don’t actually add anything to the car’s mileage, but they power the car’s internal systems – ie, lights, touchscreen, etc.
This makes a huge difference because it means the battery pack can focus on one job only: giving the vehicle more range.
While the EQXX is unlikely to make it to production, it’ll serve as a platform for the next generation of four-door sedans powered by electricity.
A new EV with a record-breaking range is expected by 2024.
In the meantime, buyers can always go for the EQS, with ranges ranging (pardon the pun) between 350 and 500 miles.
