By being able to travel for a whopping 785 kilometers (488 miles, based on WLTP) before having to recharge, the EQS is the most efficient electric car Mercedes has ever made. The next step? Hitting the magical 1,000-km (621-mile) mark. However, it’s not going to happen right away since we will initially only see a concept car. The three-pointed star has teased the Vision EQXX a few times already, and now it’s doing it again.
Mercedes design boss Gorden Wagener took to his personal Instagram to share a preview image of what will be an ultra-curvaceous showcar to boost aerodynamic efficiency as much as possible. With a 0.20 drag coefficient, the EQS is already the most aero-efficient production car in the world, but there’s still room for improvements. Some will remember the stunning 2015 IAA concept, which took the shape of a sleek four-door coupe with active aero and extending rear body elements to lower the Cd to just 0.19.
The swoopy showcar will be more than just about maximizing aero as Mercedes has previously mentioned it will usher in “body castings and sophisticated materials.” Hitting the targeted four-digit range could involve a significant weight loss, which EVs certainly need since all are much heavier than similarly sized cars powered by combustion engines because of the bulky batteries they’re carrying. Take for example the EQS 580, which tips the scales at a whopping 5,699 pounds (2,585 kilograms).
One juicy tidbit revealed by the head honcho of design at the German luxury brand has to do with the Vision EQXX’s reveal. We finally get to know when it will be officially unveiled – January 3. Logic tells us the premiere will take place at the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas as CES opens its doors to the press precisely on Monday, January 3.
Mercedes has vowed to give the concept car the “longest electric range” and achieve the “highest efficiency” of any electric car in history, so it’s safe to say there’s a lot riding on the Vision EQXX. It is worth mentioning the showcar won’t preview a future flagship since the EQS will not lose its position as the range-topping model. Instead, the concept is going to provide a window into the future of next-gen battery tech that will be installed in a compact car.
From this we can deduct the subsequent production model won’t have a massive battery to top the EQS’ already large 107.8-kWh pack since there simply would not be enough space in a compact car to fit a huge battery. As for the concept and its range, the quoted 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) is based on a real-life environment rather than being an optimistic lab-based estimate. Mercedes is confident the Vision EQXX will actually go beyond 1,000 km thanks to advanced aero, lightweight construction, and greater energy density.
Source: Gorden Wagener / Instagram
