When considering purchasing an electric vehicle (EV) today, one of the primary concerns for most people is the driving range. While the current all-electric sedans offer a decent number of miles and can be rapidly charged up to 80% in under 30 minutes, the latest Mercedes VISION EQXX showcases a range of 1,000 km (621 miles) on just one charge. This impressive feat was not merely a laboratory demonstration but was actually put to the test on public roads by Mercedes engineers who drove the prototype from Sindelfingen through the Swiss Alps and Northern Italy to Cassis on the Côte d’Azur.
Moreover, the VISION EQXX comes equipped with a unique feature to optimize its battery utilization. The roof of the vehicle is integrated with 117 solar cells that power a 12-volt battery dedicated to auxiliary systems such as the navigation system. This setup reduces the load on the high-voltage EV battery. The engineers estimated that the solar cells on the roof contributed an additional 2% to the overall range of the prototype, equivalent to approximately 25 km.
Shortly before reaching Cassis, the VISION EQXX recharged through recuperation, marking the end of its 1,008-kilometer journey with approximately 140 kilometers of range remaining. This means that it had sufficient energy to continue along the Mediterranean coastline without requiring a recharge.
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