Hi-tech rival to the BMW i4 and Tesla Model 3 takes lessons in efficiency from the ultra-streamlined Vision EQXX concept car
George Hill George.Hill@haymarket.com
LATE 2023
IN THE WILD, mammals evolve over thousands of years to better suit the conditions they exist in. Fortunately, this process is somewhat quicker in the car world, and Mercedes-Benz knows that its long-awaited rival to the Tesla Model 3 needs to give electric vehicle (EV) buyers what they want.
Near the top of list is the issue of how far you can go on a charge. And while the production version of Mercedes’ electric exec – likely to be named EQC Saloon to align with the Mercedes C-Class – has yet to be revealed, there’s evidence to suggest that it won’t be found wanting when it comes to range.
That’s because it’s likely to be strongly influenced by the Vision EQXX concept car, which makes use of clever body contouring to reduce wind resistance, along with measures to reduce drag and friction on the road surface in a quest to boost efficiency, leading to a longer range.
In fact, the concept is said to manage 620 real-world miles on a charge of its battery, which holds “less than” 100kWh of power.That’s a big leap from the 464 miles that the Mercedes EQS 450+ (the current EV range champion) can officially squeeze out of its larger (108kWh usable capa
