Mercedes EQXX concept: did the star make the right choice?

 

Having the most efficient car possible, the most energy efficient, everyone is for it. Nobody likes waste. It was precisely the objective of Mercedes engineers to make the most sober car possible, and they had carte blanche to do so, starting with a blank sheet of paper, and without making any concessions. The result of their work is the EQXX concept.

The first thing that comes to mind is that it doesn't look like a Mercedes at all. The silhouette is more reminiscent of the cars that race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a very fast race, where to have the greatest aerodynamic finesse, the cars have a kind of long tail. The same goes for the EQXX concept, which has the best Cx of any car ever measured, at the absolutely incredible value of 0.17. Everyone should applaud this technological achievement.

But the fact remains that this concept would not be an easy car to live with, and you have to give the dimensions to see that. The very low profile makes it look like a very large car, but it's not. Compared to a C-class, the smallest traditional Mercedes (rear-wheel drive with 3-volume body), this concept is 15 cm shorter. That seems incredible from this profile, but the height is also 15 cm lower than a C-class. This sedan is lower than a Porsche 911! And considering the plunging roofline, that probably means it would be impossible for someone taller than 1.60 m to sit in the back.

So, it's a choice, the search for maximum efficiency requires some sacrifices, but it doesn't seem like a good idea to make concessions on livability, and therefore ease of use. Especially when the market is so strongly oriented towards SUVs and crossovers... This while on the other hand, this concept sets fabulous records for the energy efficiency of its powertrain. The power is modest, 150 kW (204 hp), even the cheapest Tesla is significantly more powerful. But it is by its energetic efficiency that this EQXX concept explodes all the competition, with an efficiency of 95 % between the energy embarked in the battery, and the rear driving wheels. We have already mentioned an efficiency of 95% for an electric motor, but that was for the electric machine alone. We must also take into account the energy losses due to the conversion of the direct current of the battery into alternating current needed by the motor, which are reduced here by the choice of a very high voltage of 900 Volts, and then the losses of the transmission.

The battery is also remarkable, since with a capacity of some 100 kWh, it contains only 7/8% less than that of the Mercedes EQS. But it is 50 percent more compact and 30 percent lighter. This is thanks to a new generation of cells (from CATL, the Chinese manufacturer), which should be in production by 2024. The total mass, with the electronic box of management included is only of 495 kg. With this battery and a mass contained at 1750 kg, the autonomy reaches 1000 km, with an average real consumption under 10 kWh/100 km. This Mercedes EQXX consumes less than a Renault Zoe, a Volkswagen e-up or a Hyundai Ioniq EV.

Inside, the dashboard is a huge screen with an unprecedented resolution of 7680 by 660 pixels. 8K quality! Almost all of the materials in the cabin are renewable and vegan, the seat covering for example, which is said to imitate leather perfectly, is made from mushrooms. Who would have thought it?

The EQXX also innovates with its photovoltaic cells on its roof. Because if small solar cells are already available on a rechargeable Prius, these have much better performance. They are announced capable of giving 25 km of autonomy in one day. We suppose that this is in summer?

This EQXX concept is finally refreshing by its objective of a 1000 km autonomy, worthy of a diesel, without resorting to this easy solution that is the use of a huge battery. Instead, it prefers to control its mass, improve its mechanical efficiency and aerodynamic fluidity. It's the sensible choice, but will there be many enthusiasts?

It's all the drama that while Mercedes presents an electric concept with 1000 km of autonomy, a concept that we don't really know when it will lead to a production car (if ever), the Chinese company Nio, is going to put on the market its ET7 sedan, with a 150 kWh battery that will give it 1000 km of autonomy, on January 20, for the first deliveries planned on March 28. Because it is more sober, the Mercedes has obviously the preference of ecologists like us at MoteurNature. But the Chinese car is much more livable, and also more powerful. Unfortunate for the star, which will have to find something else than the autonomy to put itself forward. Let's add a feature that will bring back memories to the old Citroënists. Like the DS and SM, this EQXX concept is narrower at the back than at the front. This is good for aerodynamics, but also for handling. You put the front wheels, and the rear always goes.